
California Shows How Paid Leave Law Affects Businesses: Not Much
As presidential candidates debate government-mandated paid family leave, the U.S. has a 39 million-person test lab. California enacted the nation’s first such program in 2004 and it hasn’t been the death blow to businesses that opponents warned of, according to studies over the past decade.

Brewed by Design
The brewery tasting room is a new kind of social space, where ambience matters as much as ale
Wine tasting is often an experience shared only by the taster and pourer. A brewery tasting room, however, needs to facilitate the gregariously social aspects of craft beer, making space for interaction and mingling. Room to brew, room to chat and room to sample flights of beer make for highly dynamic spaces that bring to life the distinct personalities of brewers and their art.

Forget Raises: Employers Lean on Health Benefits to Retain Workers
Wages are still stagnant, yet employers have found something else to help attract and retain employees: health-care benefits. A good insurance plan has become a more vital tool than ever for hiring, according to a recent survey from the Society of Human Resources.

Learning Curves
Robert Nelsen has taken charge at Sacramento State, and he’s focused on a road map for student success
Before coming to Sacramento, Nelsen was instrumental in turning around the struggling University of Texas Pan-American — growing enrollment, raising revenue and boosting the university’s role in the community. We sat down with him recently to discuss his vision for California’s only true capital university.

Giving Back Will Get You More
Community involvement helps foster friendships — and close deals
Community involvement is key to a smart marketing strategy. One of the best ways to make an impact with your business is to first make an impact in your community. Not only does your business generate valuable philanthropic karma points, but you will be more likely to distinguish yourself from competitors, boost customer loyalty and have a happier workplace.

Banks May Balk at Financing $68 Billion California Bullet Train
California is counting on private companies to kick in as much as $35.5 billion toward the most expensive public-works project in U.S. history, a proposed high-speed rail line linking San Francisco with Los Angeles. Banks and other contractors who’ve studied the plan say not so fast.

Scott Ostrander is a Chef on the Move
This Sacramento native returned home on a farm-to-fork mission
When Scott Ostrander heard that Sacramento had declared itself America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital, he was working at Alinea, a 3-Michelin-star restaurant in Chicago. As a Sacramento native and an advocate of food-literacy education, he took the news as a sort of pied-piper call to return to his roots.

The Prettiest Place to Sip
We want to know your favorite go-to spot for ale and ambience. Tell us, which local brewery boasts the best tasting room?

Wells Fargo Beats Estimates on Higher Loans, Interest Income
Wells Fargo & Co., the world’s largest bank by market value, posted a third-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates on gains in interest income from asset purchases and new loans.

Sac State President Robert Nelsen on Diversity
Faculty members must be a reflection of a multicultural student body
Sacramento State has long been known as a campus rich in cultural diversity. According to the U.S. News & World Report, it is the 15th most diverse campus in the west, while Collegefactual.com ranks it 24th in the nation. Robert Nelsen, Sac State’s new president, says that diversity is precisely why he came to the university.