September 27, 2000

Our Towns column reports that Nassau County, New York's, long-running financial nightmare is reaching climax as bumbling band of officials prepare to take weed whackers to their beloved bureaucracy, and then probably raise taxes; County Exec Thomas Gulotta, his back to wall, wants to lay off 350 employees, mostly lower-level workers who clear the snow, run recreation programs and generally keep suburbs running (M)

Supreme Court, in major tactical victory for Microsoft Corp, rejects Justice Department's plea to hear company's appeal of antitrust ruling immediately; decision gives company breathing room to pursue appeals, relieves pressure on it to resume talks with government and could prolong final court judgment by year or more; returns case to federal appeals court that in past has shown greater receptivity to Microsoft's defenses than has trial judge, Thomas Penfield Jackson; Microsoft chief executive, Steven A Ballmer, hails decision; photos (M)

Securities and Exchange Commission rule that will go into effect in October should make it easier for company executives to sell their companies' stock without running afoul of insider-trading law; will allow insiders and other investors, like top executives, board members or key advisers, to buy or sell stock in their companies no matter how much inside information they have; trades must be made under plans created before investors knew about developments that could push up or drag down the stock; new provision's biggest impact will be on senior managers eager to unlock wealth of their stock-and-options riches without veering into legal trouble; graphs; photos (M)

Growing use of electronic devices to track employee's whereabouts described; photos (S)

Lisa Belkin column on sudden personal, family and medical crises that can alter one's attitude toward work and careers (M)