tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55822782011-04-21T14:39:15.513-07:00Not Working for a LivingUnemployment and Job Hunting in AmericaThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1086581943176516712004-06-06T21:14:00.000-07:002004-06-06T21:19:03.176-07:00My tribute to Ronald Reagan will only contain the memory of the many times the president would sum up the unemployment problems of the '80s by stating that he didn't understand how there could be a problem when the Sunday papers were full of want ads and the homeless were making the choice to be homeless. Reagan maintained this stance all the way to Dec. 22, 1998 with his final interview with The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1086114024350219422004-06-01T11:18:00.000-07:002004-06-01T11:20:24.350-07:00This in from The Conference Board on how help wanted advertising is basically stagnant to a year ago.
The Conference Board’s Help-Wanted Advertising Index – a key barometer of America's job market – declined one point in April. The Index now stands at 38, down from 39 the previous month. The Index was 37 one year ago.
In the last three months, help-wanted advertising increased in five of the The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1086062180290453002004-05-31T20:49:00.000-07:002004-05-31T20:56:20.290-07:00On this Memorial Day, you may think it is about time that I remembered the fact that I have a blog. For the last month, I've had to focus all of my attention to my professional life apart from the blog we share here together. As I've always disclosed, I am employed and have been so for the last year, but this past month, my employment status could have been in jeopardy, at minimum, my future withThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1083362033876908562004-04-30T14:53:00.000-07:002004-04-30T14:57:01.543-07:00A great way to know the status of the job market is to judge the volume of ads in the daily newspapers across the country. This is a monthly survey provided by The Conference Board that gives some insight into how fast, slow or backwards the job market is becoming. The lastest survey is a mixed blessing in that employment advertising is remaining stable, but it is not suggesting a sudden spike The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1083087155069345492004-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:002004-04-27T10:40:01.950-07:00Beware the voodoo that Lou do!
So says John Castellani, president of the Washington-based Business Roundtable, when discussing CNN's Lou Dobbs who has consistently spotlighted the issue of outsourcing jobs from the U.S. Castellani is upset about Dobb's focus on the issue and accuses the veteran newsman of "one-sided" journalism.
"It's as if whatever made Linda Blair's head spin around in "The The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1083001753315061792004-04-26T10:49:00.000-07:002004-04-26T10:52:16.246-07:00By many people's standards, this is the resume of a person almost anyone would want working for their company. However, this person submits this resume my way with the added comment that it hasn't done him any good. Browse over this resume and tell me why a person with a background such as this should feel as if his resume does him no good? When someone with a backgournd like this is out of work The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1082769216908772012004-04-23T18:13:00.000-07:002004-04-23T18:20:38.326-07:00As goes the economy, one would expect so goes the job market. However, the economy has been slowly gaining momentum for the last several months, but the job market remains relatively stagnant. Recently, the Federal Reserve (that organization followed religiously by all those stock market players who also play are significant role in pinning down job expansion) released some encouraging news aboutThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1082433258188198522004-04-19T20:54:00.000-07:002004-04-19T20:57:14.280-07:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Job fair for Maury prison draws more than 100 unemployed It's funny how our definition of a "good job" goes through all types of changes during the different stages of our unemployment. I don't know how many of the 100 people who lined up to apply to help in the construction of a new prison. I'm not knocking construction work, my father did it for many years and The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1082056608824045872004-04-15T12:16:00.000-07:002004-04-15T12:19:41.043-07:00Tough news below for those in the HR field, according to The Conference Board, 80 percent of companies that outsource HR functions would do so again, and of those companies that have outsourced their HR services, none plan to take outsourced services back in-house.
Below is text from the press release sent today:
More than three-fourths of executives at large North American and European The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1082054320141828902004-04-15T11:38:00.000-07:002004-04-15T11:41:32.030-07:00Today's the IRS deadline for filing your federal taxes and mine hit the mailbox earlier this morning. It was quite a different experience than a year ago when Tax Day was probably the absolute lowest point emotionally of my nine-month stint on unemployment.
With my benefits nearly exhausted and few opportunities presenting themselves to me, I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of my completed tax The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1081749541893659342004-04-11T22:59:00.000-07:002004-04-11T23:01:49.983-07:00Hot headlines from the weekend: (Sorry for the delay in posts, my children did something drastically improper to my computer. At least they weren't downloading porn!)
Situation Wanted for Unemployed Professional Desperate times call for desperate measures as white-collar professionals are beginning to run "Jobs Wanted" ads in daily newspapers. Normally, this is the portion of the Careers The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1081210720708294472004-04-05T17:18:00.000-07:002004-04-05T17:21:23.140-07:00The recent announcement from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that the economy spurred the growth of 308,000 new jobs has some people questioning the quality of those jobs. From one standpoint, you could say we should embrace the positive news and not try to pick it apart. Momentum may be swinging back in favor of the unemployed as the CEO survey cited below in an earlier entry today.
However, The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1081190860940171752004-04-05T11:47:00.000-07:002004-04-05T11:50:22.686-07:00Following up on the good news over the 308,000 new jobs in March comes this press release from The Conference Board showing the economic confidence level of CEOs in the U.S. to be at its highest point in 20 years and also shows CEOs are downright bullish on the hiring front.
CHIEF EXECUTIVES’ CONFIDENCE SURGES, THE CONFERENCE BOARD REPORTS
Index at Highest Level in 20 Years
Chief executives’ The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080929333508807122004-04-02T10:08:00.000-08:002004-04-02T10:11:32.716-08:00Comments this morning from Kathleen Utgoff, Commissioner of the Bereau of Labor Statistics:
"Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 308,000 in March. This follows revised gains of 159,000 in January and 46,000 in February. Since August 2003, payroll employment has risen by 759,000. The unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in March, little changed over the month.
"Job growth was fairly widespread in The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080672577968426902004-03-30T10:49:00.000-08:002004-03-30T10:52:33.843-08:00Few industries have enjoyed as much success as the home building and construction industries. As President Bush pointed out recently, home ownership is as at an all-time high and I'm sure there are developments springing up in places all over your town as well. However, the good times have hit a speed bump attributed to substantially higher material costs which may translate into layoffs, or The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080610055527212712004-03-29T17:27:00.000-08:002004-03-29T17:30:10.780-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Manufacturers say they'll add jobs Bucking the national trend of the last two decades, the manufacturing sector is expecting to hire as many as 250,000 jobs this year alone. The National Association of Manufacturers says 55 percent of companies surveyed expect to increase payroll while only 16 percent expect to reduce employment. (Click here to read the press The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080576550506713322004-03-29T08:09:00.000-08:002004-03-29T08:12:07.983-08:00Although it happened later than I expected, the first major casualty of the "Do Not Call" list is MCI who is in the process of laying off 4,000 employees from various call center locations throughout the country.
While I'm sure there have been other call centers that have closed because of the list, this is the first one I've noticed and it hits thousands of workers across the country. What I The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080326619638968312004-03-26T10:43:00.000-08:002004-03-26T10:46:47.610-08:00As promised, below is the portion of John Kerry's speech today announcing his jobs plan for America. Earlier today, I posted the relevant portions of President Bush's jobs speech that he delivered Thursday in New Hampshire. Stay informed and read both posts as there is quite a bit of depth to the topic of job creation in the U.S.
As with Bush, I have cut out portions of Kerry's speech that do The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080322472741655212004-03-26T09:34:00.000-08:002004-03-26T09:39:52.746-08:00One of the risks of a blog is how quickly things can change to make your last entry seem so far out of touch. Below you can read as I go on and on about how President Bush, and most notably John Kerry, had taken the issues of unemployment and job creation out of the political spotlight.
Sure enough, Thursday in New Hampshire, the president got out in front of the issue jobs before Kerry could The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080189169281288822004-03-24T20:32:00.000-08:002004-03-24T20:35:19.606-08:00During the time the Democrats were vying to become the party nominee for president, the unemployment problem in the U.S. was finally getting the attention it deserved. As regular readers of this blog know, it wasn't until Howard Dean imploded that Democrats began taking shots at the Bush administration on the jobless recovery and found that those shots were connecting with average Americans. The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1080020945493323772004-03-22T21:49:00.000-08:002004-03-22T21:56:39.436-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend (plus Monday):
'Show Us the Jobs' tours Rust Belt Following up upon the incredible success of the Bush administration’s "Jobs and Growth Tour" of the last two years, the AFL-CIO has created a bus tour of its own in search of either jobs or growth. The tour kicks off in the Rust Belt where the search crew doesn't figure to be slowed up by finding either jobs or The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1079737404746452532004-03-19T15:03:00.000-08:002004-03-19T15:05:50.263-08:00When stabbed in the back, does it matter if the attacker refers to its weapon as a knife, dagger or shank? To the helpless victim dying on the floor, it sure doesn't.
The National Park Service is once again going through another round of layoffs, job eliminations or dismissals. However, the Bush administration is changing course and playing with words, not numbers this time, and creating a new The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1079581581050835852004-03-17T19:46:00.000-08:002004-03-17T19:48:44.186-08:00A lot has been made about the recent Manpower survey showing that 28 percent of leading American companies plan to hire within the next three months. This is the strongest survey result in three years for the forecasting of hiring trends, however, the last three years have also seen a drop of around 2.6 million U.S. jobs, so it's not as if this upcoming hiring binge is at a breakneck pace. The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1079327879858929582004-03-14T21:17:00.000-08:002004-03-14T21:20:20.513-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Economists Say 'Offshoring' Overblown as a Problem Easy for them to say when it is not their jobs magically being recreated across the Pacific. Is this an issue that's getting more attention than it deserves? One could consider the following from the story: "Forrester Research estimated in a November 2002 report that 3.3 million service-industry jobs would be The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1078725258683996802004-03-07T21:54:00.000-08:002004-03-07T21:56:31.780-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Long-term unemployment at 30-year high Our friends at the Economic Policy Institute are having fun with numbers again, but don't expect the Bush administration to want to play along. The EPI shows that those unemployed for six months or longer make up almost a quarter of all unemployed Americans. The long-term unemployment percentage is the worst it has been sinceThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1078498312151796302004-03-05T06:51:00.000-08:002004-03-05T06:54:02.686-08:00The Bureau of Labor Statistics dropped a bombshell on the Bush administration today announcing only 21,000 jobs were created in the month of February.
Excuse me, but 21,000! Are you kidding me? That's only 104,000 less than the conservative estimates by most economists.
That's fewer than 1,000 jobs a day. That's just 420 new jobs per each state in the union.
This is during the first quarter The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1078459253036592362004-03-04T20:00:00.000-08:002004-03-04T20:03:03.810-08:00While rising gas prices can be an inconvenience for most, the unemployed are hardest hit by the fuel price inflation. Gas prices have reached a record high in March reaching as high as almost $3 a gallon in California. It isn't such a stretch to believe that the unemployed actually use their cars more than those currently employed when you consider the travel to and from interviews, labor officesThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1078286757904037612004-03-02T20:05:00.000-08:002004-03-02T20:08:06.606-08:00For all the content on the impact the unemployment crisis in the U.S. on various industries, locations and demographics, nothing has been hit as hard by the new economy and the jobless recovery as rural America. Small town America has found itself having to bid on industries and companies that wouldn't even garner a whiff of attention from almost the rest of the country. The ideal of the rural The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1077988949536073982004-02-28T09:22:00.000-08:002004-02-28T09:25:24.500-08:00A press release from The Conference Board on how employment advertising is on an ever so slight job tick upward. However, this weekend I spoke with executives of a leading job site (monster, careerbuilder, hotjobs, it's one of the big three) that the site is not expecting to see a rise in employment advertisements for the entire year.
Anyhow, here is The Conference Board's take on employment The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1077674525515936042004-02-24T18:02:00.000-08:002004-02-24T18:04:07.186-08:00Some interesting statistics out about how the Hispanic community has made the fastest gains among any group in finding employment during a 12-month span from the fourth quarter of 2002 to the fourth quarter of 2003. In all, the Pew Hispanic Center (PHC) shows the economy generated more than 659,000 jobs for Hispanics. On the surface, it appears the Hispanic community is making great strides in The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1077518819604740652004-02-22T22:46:00.000-08:002004-02-22T22:48:58.873-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Misstep on jobs figure could haunt Bush This story got me to become innovative this weekend and create the job creation scoreboard you see to your left that will track how the Bush administration is doing towards achieving its published expectation of overseeing the creation of 2.6 million jobs in 2004.
Now, as this story shows, the Bushies are back-tracking The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1077250524723744192004-02-19T20:15:00.000-08:002004-02-19T21:06:30.810-08:00A double whammy of bad news for the unemployed as the White House is backing away from its job growth projections and a survey reveals that a majority of CEOs remain pessimistic on hiring for the rest of the year.
The more jolting of the two stories is the Bush camp all but fessing up that their plans to spark a job recovery isn't getting it done. This admission comes during an election year The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1077076263486802272004-02-17T19:51:00.000-08:002004-02-17T19:52:58.360-08:00As has been the case for during the last two years, more tech jobs are on their way out of the U.S., or as White House chief economic adviser Greg Mankiw might say, a victory parade for the future of the U.S. economy.
"The German firm Siemens will move most of the 15,000 software programming jobs from its offices in the United States and Western Europe to India, China and Eastern Europe.
"The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1076905323178332972004-02-15T20:22:00.000-08:002004-02-15T20:23:55.686-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
White House job comments touch a nerve White House chief economic adviser Greg Mankiw blurted out this week that "outsourcing is a growing phenomenon, but it's something that we should realize is probably a plus for the economy in the long run." Everyone jumped on this comment as insensitive and shortsighted. However, many an economist would agree with the The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1076650658776550982004-02-12T21:37:00.000-08:002004-02-12T21:39:28.233-08:00As was the case before the 2000 election, my overwhelming belief about the 2004 election was that President Bush stood little chance of being defeated. It's not that the president has accomplished much beyond winning two wars that held no threat of this country losing and taking the fight to the terrorists which was a move any president would have made under the same set of circumstances.
Was The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1076434528962475172004-02-10T09:35:00.000-08:002004-02-10T09:45:17.030-08:00Some chilling words come from the latest edition of Across the Board, a publication produced by The Conference Board. The group is normally conservative, but excerpts from the story below are not what conservatives or liberals will find reassuring for the future of the U.S. economy and workforce.
"America must act quickly to stave off the exodus of white-collar jobs to foreign countries, The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1076337180145547362004-02-09T06:33:00.000-08:002004-02-09T06:34:45.950-08:00For those of you who have missed the hot headlines from the weekend, they're listed just below. For those of you who missed President Bush on Meet the Press, here's the portion of the interview that focused on the unemployment situation and the national economy.
Meet the Press host Tim Russert: The Bush Cheney first three years, the unemployment rate has gone up 33 percent, there has been a lossThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1076308063113833492004-02-08T22:27:00.000-08:002004-02-08T22:29:28.640-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
In GOP Country, Job Fears As long as everyone keeps jumping on the John Kerry bandwagon, I thought I would kick this off with some politics. It seems as if some Republican governors are feeling their collars getting a little tight when the subjects of jobs and the Bush re-election campaign come up together. I've said forever this is the issue that potentially The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1076083692133285552004-02-06T08:08:00.000-08:002004-02-06T08:09:55.233-08:00This morning's statement of the national employment situation from Kathleen P. Utgoff, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
"Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 112,000 in January and has risen by 366,000 since August 2003. In January, there were job gains in construction and several service-providing industries. While manufacturing employment continued to trend down, the rate of The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1075926328357858552004-02-04T12:25:00.000-08:002004-02-04T12:27:09.360-08:00Having survived my trip to Iowa, I thought I would drop some statistical facts on you today that will emphasize the severity of the nation’s unemployment crisis, especially for the long-term unemployed.
As many of you know, Congress decided it had had enough of extending the federal temporary unemployment benefits back in December. This decision cut off more than 395,000 people from receiving The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1075493985458383402004-01-30T12:19:00.000-08:002004-01-30T12:22:49.920-08:00A death in the family is going to require me to go back to Iowa for the next few days. Therefore, I will be very limited in the amount of time and content I can devote to the blog. I'll do my best to put up the "Hot headlines from the weekend," but my biggest goal is to simply survive the arctic winter that has recently hit the Midwest.
In the meantime, I heard on the radio today a George Bush The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1075262735428522562004-01-27T20:05:00.000-08:002004-02-06T08:11:11.700-08:00This blog has seen many a discouraging trend in terms of unemployment and the job hunt. If it isn't outsourcing, it has been the large number of people who are so discouraged with the job market that they stop looking for work. It's not that they don't want to work, they've just lost faith in a country founded on the hope of creating a new life.
For those who have broken through a stretch of The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1075097003511454572004-01-25T22:03:00.000-08:002004-01-25T22:04:55.246-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Railroads on Track to Add 2,000 Jobs Why not kick off the weekend review of headlines with a little good news? The rail industry, not exactly the most high-tech industry of them all, just keeps ticking along with bright prospects for employment. In addition to the 2,000 jobs in the hard-hit Chicago area, the industry expects to tack on another 25,000 in the next The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074740837239769382004-01-21T19:07:00.000-08:002004-01-22T13:30:31.610-08:00You've heard plenty about President Bush's "Jobs for the 21st Century," but I thought I would present you with the plan verbatim as the White House released it so you can make your own judgments about the effectiveness of the plan.
Fact Sheet: Jobs for the 21st Century
Presidential Action:
In his State of the Union Address, President Bush announced Jobs for the 21st Century -- a comprehensiveThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074733892678411852004-01-21T17:11:00.000-08:002004-01-21T18:54:52.106-08:00Another year in the presidency, another State of the Union speech. Before we focus on President Bush's plans related to jobs and unemployment, let me first acknowledge that it was nice to finally here something from the President regarding job growth that didn't also mention his tax cuts. I know he still says the tax cuts are the stimulus to job growth and creation, as if, but he did have The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074618181362432392004-01-20T09:03:00.000-08:002004-01-20T09:04:27.576-08:00From Joe Klein, Time magazine columnist:
"Having watched Kerry campaigns in Massachusetts, people always call him aloof and patrician and aristocratic, but he always wins the working-class vote. And that happened tonight. It shows you, I think, something of the waning strength of the industrial unions in this country."
My thoughts (below) exactly.The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074614402225313702004-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:002004-01-20T08:08:47.733-08:00It wasn't even that close.
John Kerry and John Edwards leave Iowa triumphant following their 1-2 finish in the Iowa Caucuses. The Dean train is only momentarily derailed and Dick Gephardt may want to consider retirement now that his Midwest neighbor has served him a resounding defeat.
While Kerry and Edwards surge to the top sets up an even more intriguing New Hampshire primary, My focus is theThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074546835323504792004-01-19T13:13:00.000-08:002004-01-19T13:15:46.793-08:00While researching some information on how the economy and job outlook is for African-Americans on this Martin Luther King Day, I stumble upon the following press release that does all the work from me. This following comes from an organization called United for a Fair Economy.
I'm not offering this up as an objective report on such matters, but it's always good to share opinions and perspective The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074398915701970622004-01-17T20:08:00.000-08:002004-01-17T20:09:59.373-08:00Checking through the directory of search terms that lead people to this blog, I've noticed a rise in the number of people searching for information on the jobs and economy plans among the four leading Democratic candidates for president; Howard Dean, John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and John Kerry.
The Washington Post online has created a nifty little interactive tool titled "Comparing the CandidatesThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074220403757473672004-01-15T18:33:00.000-08:002004-01-15T18:34:45.153-08:00There are mixed signals being given today concerning the hiring prospects for blue and white collar working in the U.S.
The beleaguered manufacturing industry is predicted to see the growth of a quarter of a million jobs in 2004 due to a weak dollar and a high demand for U.S. exports.
"The long-suffering factory sector, which has laid off workers for 41 straight months since July 2000, will The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074050651600642112004-01-13T19:24:00.000-08:002004-01-13T19:26:52.450-08:00Two interactive events to tell you about. First, washingtonpost.com is hosting a chat on unemployment with a pair of economic experts. As if my meandering thoughts aren't enough, at least you'll get some live response to others. The chat begins at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday.
I have just added the ability to comment on this blog and I hope you take advantage of the opportunity. This blog The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1074046862935897912004-01-13T18:21:00.000-08:002004-01-13T18:22:22.483-08:00Back in high school, it seemed as if everyone, and I mean everyone, wanted to grow up to become an accountant. At my school, CPA had equal status with the NBA which probably explains why my school has only been to the state tournament three times in its history, losing all three first round games.
What seemed like a desirable profession for many at my school also seemed safe. Number crunchers The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1073898906538861202004-01-12T01:15:00.000-08:002004-01-12T01:17:42.153-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
To Understand U.S. Jobs Picture, Connect the Dots, and Find the Dots: For those of you who have been following this blog, this story should come as no surprise. There is plenty of book cooking going on when it comes to the unemployment figures. It's desperate times when the total job growth throughout this entire country only amounts to 1,000 and the unemployment The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1073664839039250712004-01-09T08:13:00.000-08:002004-01-09T08:41:32.700-08:00This morning's statement from Kathleen P. Utgoff, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Nonfarm payroll employment was unchanged (+1,000) in December following gains totaling 277,000 in the 4 previous months. The unemployment rate, at 5.7 percent in December, continued to trend down from its recent peak of 6.3 percent in June.
Over the month, job losses in retail trade and The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1073574839488584662004-01-08T07:13:00.000-08:002004-01-08T14:54:17.000-08:00There are certainly differing points to ponder regarding President Bush's new immigration plan allowing for temporary workers who are already in the U.S. to keep their jobs and allow people from outside the country to fill others. My stance on this has been that I don't see it having much of an impact on the unemployment situation in the U.S. But enough about my thoughts, let's hear from others.
The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1073510894723196902004-01-07T13:28:00.000-08:002004-01-07T13:40:17.340-08:00The big news of the day regarding anything labor is President Bush's planned announcement of creating new rights to illegal (?) immigrant workers here in the United States. Many see this as a ploy to garner support from the ever-growing Hispanic population in anticipation of this year's election. Others worry that allowing immigrants to work in the U.S. may take available jobs that may have The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1073417240254637412004-01-06T11:27:00.000-08:002004-01-06T11:36:49.326-08:00Just like a schoolyard bully, the U.S. Labor Department decided to make life a little more difficult for the struggling working class ... if for no other reason than they can.
Congress has always passed laws complete with corporate loopholes, it's just the government usually doesn't publicly publish the playbook on how to use such loopholes.
The U.S. Labor Department has published on its Web The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1073068974694664212004-01-02T10:42:00.000-08:002004-01-06T11:10:52.310-08:00What would a new year be without a great supply of optimism for job seekers? The typically stagnant fourth quarter for hiring is over; businesses can begin searching anew for people with their restocked budgets and pressing labor needs.
The first sign of optimism comes from the most recent weekly new unemployment claims report that shows the smallest number of first time filers during the entireThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1072839816911492632003-12-30T19:03:00.000-08:002003-12-30T19:04:42.780-08:00Having passed the 10,000 barrier earlier this month, many pointed to the stock market's rise as further proof that the economy was back in a big way. Sure, the economy has been recovering, but it's not as if the patient has been dismissed from the hospital.
This year was a good one for traders, but some market watchers are sounding especially cautious about the upcoming year and caution about The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1072800594077910162003-12-30T08:09:00.000-08:002003-12-30T08:10:59.403-08:00Below is a recent report on "compassionate downsizing" from The Conference Board, a bow tie organization I've mentioned in this blog a few times before. The jist of the report is that some companies, 13.6 percent of those they chose to contact, offer some impressive post-employment benefits to the victims of corporate downsizing.
Losing one's job can be as stressful a life moment as the loss of The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1072643290466407742003-12-28T12:28:00.000-08:002003-12-28T12:29:13.733-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Spending cautious while jobs stay shaky It was with amusement that I read all stories about how the economy was back big time based on the amount of retail sales on the post-Thanksgiving weekend. Well, no kidding! People always spend big on that weekend. What happened after that weekend is the bigger news as people spent less money than expected this holiday The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1072315494657430482003-12-24T17:24:00.000-08:002003-12-24T17:26:31.310-08:00Let me wish happy holidays to all and happy birthday to myself. A birthday wish for those of you still unemployed is that your search is shortly coming to a close and the year end shows some encouraging signs of making my wish for you come true.
I'm not willing to call it a recovery yet, but 2003 is ending on some high notes which one can only hope can finally spark some job creation that isn't The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1072063963426066372003-12-21T19:32:00.000-08:002003-12-21T19:33:40.186-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Hunger and Homelessness Increase in U.S. I've said to my wife on more than one occasion that there are so many people in this country who are one missed paycheck away from being homeless. The rising number of unemployed has also given way to a rising number of those who have lost everything. Of course, for the convenience of others, these people to no longer show The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1071801442710558512003-12-18T18:37:00.000-08:002003-12-18T18:38:16.280-08:00Continued congratulations to our troops who found Saddam in the hole. Congratulations because the Iraqi dictator's capture is leading the Democrats running for president to finally begin discussing the unemployment crisis in the U.S.
Sounding off most prominently is an unlikely choice of domestic mouthpieces, General Wesley Clark. Clark leads off on a theme for today, many U.S. jobs are not onlyThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1071590038153683272003-12-16T07:53:00.000-08:002003-12-16T07:54:49.810-08:00Intentionally lost in all the Saddam captured excitement is some discouraging news for the unemployed. I say intentionally because businesses and government offices skillfully release stories such as these at a time when everyone's focus is on the "big story" of the day. When the traditional media bombard you with the same story 24 hours a day (can we see that tongue depressor shoved in Saddam's The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1071470112407372482003-12-14T22:35:00.000-08:002003-12-14T22:38:17.623-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
State lost 14,400 jobs in November In honor of the 'Ah-nuld' being named A&E's Biography of the year, California learns it has almost 15,000 fewer jobs than the month before. One has the feeling the number of jobs created (nationwide) are a wash in comparison to the number of jobs either eliminated or exported. If California still isn't the haven of new jobs, whatThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1071183486184454302003-12-11T14:58:00.000-08:002003-12-11T14:58:53.153-08:00To quote ultra-obnoxious sports announcer Lee Corso, "not so fast, my friend" as unemployment claims jumped up for the second week in a row.
President Bush, you've almost pulled your arm out of its socket congratulating yourself on the recent upswing in the economy, so who takes the "credit" for this development?
The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1071163371530586892003-12-11T09:22:00.000-08:002003-12-11T09:23:38.030-08:00Another debate, another opportunity for each of the Democratic candidates from president to make their case for how to improve the unemployment problem in the U.S. Tuesday's debate was hosted by Ted Koppel who emerged as the star of the night with his witty one-liners and his rapport with the candidates.
That's not exactly great news for the Democrats when Koppel steals the show.
Anyhow, for The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1071097412896081982003-12-10T15:03:00.000-08:002003-12-10T15:06:56.873-08:00Thoughts on what may be slowing the jobless recovery may be partially answered today in a press release from The Conference Board:
CEO PAY RISES IN MOST INDUSTRIES,
OUTSIDE DIRECTOR PAY ALSO UP IN ALL INDUSTRIES,
THE CONFERENCE BOARD REPORTS IN ANNUAL COMPENSATION STUDIES
"Median total compensation for outside (non-employee) directors of U.S. boards in 2003 is up from last year in all three The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070989204093757512003-12-09T09:00:00.000-08:002003-12-09T09:03:43.106-08:00Outrage!
That's what many of the unemployed are justifiably feeling after Congress voted to not extend unemployment benefits after the Dec. 21 deadline.
"In a party line 211-179 vote, House Republicans and one Democrat rejected a procedural effort Monday by most Democrats to allow consideration of a renewal of extended unemployment benefits."
I don't know which is worse, having the extension The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070850964258880482003-12-07T18:36:00.000-08:002003-12-07T18:36:46.903-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
U.S. Democrats fault Bush, Republicans on jobs Following President Bush's rosy economic review on his weekly radio address, the Democratic Congressman from Oregon, Darlene Hooley blasted back faulting the GOP for its miserable jobs record. However, Hooley could have also included her colleagues in the Democratic Party who are currently running for president that The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070745588193298872003-12-06T13:19:00.000-08:002003-12-06T13:23:02.326-08:00There isn't a whole lot of significance in the latest employment numbers for November. In short, the unemployment rate is expected to decrease to 5.9 percent where it will probably remain at the end of the year. Analysts were disappointed in the rise of only 57,000 new jobs in November, far below expectations.
"Economists are looking for monthly payroll gains of 200,000 to 300,000 to The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070635524258081452003-12-05T06:45:00.000-08:002003-12-05T06:46:04.513-08:00Statement this morning from Kathleen P. Utgoff, Commissioner Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"Nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 57,000 in November, and the unemployment rate, at 5.9 percent, was essentially unchanged over the month. Since July, payroll employment has increased by 328,000.
Over the month, the number of jobs in health care and social assistance continued to increase, rising by The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070563883636814262003-12-04T10:51:00.000-08:002003-12-04T11:02:38.263-08:00When it rains for a few days in a row, do you still go out and water the lawn?
That's what's facing American companies right now as their inventories are starting to fly out the door, but their current workforce is keeping the pace based on the latest productivity numbers for the third quarter.
"The latest report, which showed output climbing at a 10.3 percent rate but hours worked up just 0.8 The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070393428012341862003-12-02T11:30:00.000-08:002003-12-02T11:39:42.936-08:00Having gone to war in Iraq and royally ticked off the tea-sippers of Europe, President Bush is not about to wage a full-scale trade war with Europe and Asia over his steel tariffs ... but we all know there will still be casualties.
The World Trade Organization has ruled against Bush's steel tariffs and Europe and Asian countries were all set to impose tariffs of their own on a whole mess of U.S.The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1070243902962356372003-11-30T17:58:00.000-08:002003-11-30T17:59:58.530-08:00Hot headlines from the holiday weekend:
Unemployed Left With Congressional Inaction on Jobless Bill Being unemployed is tough. Being unemployed during the holidays is even tougher. Having Congress blow off extending unemployment benefits before the end of the year, shameless. I suspect Congress will somehow patch together a bill to finally fund those extended benefits, especially with both The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069884210371215802003-11-26T14:03:00.000-08:002003-11-26T14:04:02.450-08:00I wish all who visit this here blog of ours a joyous Thanksgiving Day weekend.
It's tough to find many things to be thankful for if you're unemployed, underemployed or facing an impending layoff. However, my hope is you have your health, your family and above all else, hope for the future.
Today's news continues on about the rocketing economy of the last quarter and the uptick in consumer The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069791738116760552003-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:002003-11-26T13:47:56.250-08:00It doesn't always pay to be right, as is the case with my predictions (see yesterday's entry) for last night's Democratic Presidential Debate in Iowa. Once again, the Democrats collectively avoided the single biggest topic of vulnerability for President Bush: unemployment.
The biggest topics were again, Iraq, Dean and Medicare. Dick Gephardt's presence didn't even influence anyone to bring up The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069698985084691522003-11-24T10:36:00.000-08:002003-11-24T12:07:15.106-08:00News Flash: Will the Democrats Miss Another Opportunity?
Back on Nov. 6, I ripped the current group on Democrats running for president for their collective lack of attention to the issue of unemployment. In summary, only one candidate (John Edwards) even cared to fully address the issue, and the actual word "unemployment" was only mentioned once during the entire 90-minute CNN Rock the Vote The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069642687190471082003-11-23T18:58:00.000-08:002003-11-23T19:06:10.856-08:00Hot headlines from the Weekend:
Dell to bring some jobs back home The company that was among the first to begin outsourcing for call center support is bringing a number of those jobs home. Reason, Dell customers can't understand Indian accents and the Indian workers are too often reading off scripts. Let's hope Dell starts another new trend and the other tech companies follow.
Mexico torn overThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069468246731357012003-11-21T18:30:00.000-08:002003-11-21T18:32:26.873-08:00The end of the calendar year often brings a number of corny lists such as Top Ten News Stories on the Year, Top Five Surprises and 101 Most Shocking Moments in the Courtroom in 2003. Often times these lists later appear on VH1 with b-list celebrities doing their best to come up with witty one-liners that only really show off why they're b-list celebrities.
I thought I would bust out my own end The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069346437965118412003-11-20T08:40:00.000-08:002003-11-20T08:41:03.310-08:00This just in from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
"In the third quarter of 2003, 1,375 mass layoff actions were taken by employers that resulted in the separation of 268,020 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Both the total number of layoff events and the number of separations The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069305744585819602003-11-19T21:22:00.000-08:002003-11-19T21:22:49.733-08:00At the end of the rope and desperate for a breakthrough, more and more people are going against their very nature and accepting change when it comes to finding a job. The challenge I've often made with this blog is for the unemployed to be open to opportunities outside of their chosen professions.
Today, Time Magazine online examines the new job frontier that finds many people taking dramatic The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069270219223530842003-11-19T11:30:00.000-08:002003-11-19T20:06:18.793-08:00Call it a cheap shot if you want, but if you have the skills, the world is in need of a new King of Pop.The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1069213565827331202003-11-18T19:46:00.000-08:002003-11-18T19:48:36.030-08:00In Jonathan Alter's most recent column, he asks the question, "Is Labor Dying, Or Being Born?" In short, Alter examines how the shrinking labor unions may still make a comeback that could prove problematic to President Bush's reelection hopes.
Having grown up the son and grandson of union members, I somehow never acquired the fondness for unions that drove many in my family to forgo paychecks The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068961624102460252003-11-15T21:47:00.000-08:002003-11-15T21:47:25.030-08:00On a personal note, I want to thank the many of you who visit this blog whether it is regularly or by chance. I'd like to think this blog has struck a chord with the many people who have had their lives changed by long-term unemployment. I started this blog because I never found anything similar to this during my own nine-month bout with unemployment.
Again, I don't make any money from this (The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068961060178512002003-11-15T21:37:00.000-08:002003-11-15T21:40:24.403-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
State's job gain the biggest in two years It's just too little, too late for Gov. Gray Davis. However, if news such as this is can propel some positive changes and momentum for the Ah-nuld, so be it.
Consolidation by Kaz to add 300-400 jobs About the only industry that anyone can count on to continue to grow and grow is the home health care industry. I'm not The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068865790316909872003-11-14T19:09:00.000-08:002003-11-14T19:10:45.640-08:00I want to apologize to those of you who found the most recent poll on this blog to be something completely out of the norm for our purposes. I didn't post that here and I'm unsure how it ended up on this blog. My response will probably be to quit using that blog poll service. Again, I don't know how it happened, but I'm sorry.The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068773961220111642003-11-13T17:39:00.000-08:002003-11-13T17:39:40.293-08:00Is it fair to talk about a jobs recovery when large segments of our society are still finding themselves on the sidelines when it comes to finding jobs?
Consider some of the statistics people continue to not speak about when considering whether or not the U.S. is experiencing the beginning stages of a jobs recovery. According to the most recent "Employment Situation" news release from the BureauThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068601806673630992003-11-11T17:50:00.000-08:002003-11-11T17:50:03.693-08:00To this day, I'm still paying off my college student loan. Having come from a family where I was only the second in either family history to not only go to college, but graduate, I've never complained about the amount of debt it created to earn a bachelor's degree.
When reading an editorial in the Tennessean about how unemployment is causing more and more students to drop out of college, I The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068478524890882142003-11-10T07:35:00.000-08:002003-11-10T07:35:22.443-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Bush claims tax cuts primed economy for growth and jobs I've been hard on the guy for some time now so I thought I'd throw the president a bone on the blog for the weekend. The reverse is true though that if he's responsible for last week's numbers, he should also hold himself responsible for the last two and a half years.
Record number of students seek training The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068218386246453102003-11-07T07:19:00.000-08:002003-11-07T07:20:21.056-08:00The following report was delivered this morning by Kathleen P. Utgoff, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics before the Joint Economic Committee of the Unitied States Congress:
"Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 126,000 in October, following increases in August and September that totaled 160,000, after revision. I would note that the payroll survey estimates for the prior 2 months The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1068146978546147772003-11-06T11:29:00.000-08:002003-11-06T11:29:36.580-08:00So any number of you may suspect the Democratic Party has the best interests of the unemployed at heart. With nine candidates running for president against an incumbent that has watched the highest number of jobs disappear since the Herbert Hoover days, the Democrats should have a field day everyday touting their plans to create jobs.
Based on CNN's Rock the Vote debate on Tuesday, you would be The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067989611077419042003-11-04T15:46:00.000-08:002003-11-04T15:47:54.436-08:00I always advise regular visitors to this blog to avoid getting caught up in the hype when it comes to unemployment and economic news of the day. Too often it's pumped up to be something that will be the turning point either positive or negative regarding the nation's economy and jobless recovery.
Last week it was the exciting news that the GDP grew by 7.2 percent in the third quarter. Today, itsThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067964029096750422003-11-04T08:40:00.000-08:002003-11-04T08:40:27.406-08:00All the media is in a tizzy today as it is yet another Election Day throughout many of the states in the U.S.
While many of the news outlets are using today as a precursor to the results of the 2004 presidential election, the focus on Republican versus Democrat is missing the point. The focus should be on challenger versus incumbent.
The fulcrum by which of all these local and state elections The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067833959537811922003-11-02T20:32:00.000-08:002003-11-02T20:32:38.116-08:00Hot headlines from the weekend:
Entrepreneurs not giving up their day job I knew of one person who said he would never invest in a start-up unless the owners were making it their full-time jobs. However, today's economy does not allow for the young and fearless when it comes to starting a business. In a related story, Prince Charles says he has a cure for unemployment.
Bush, Democrats Watch a The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067542626539567272003-10-30T11:37:00.000-08:002003-10-30T11:37:05.330-08:00As stated and predicted earlier on this blog of ours, beware the upcoming mergers in both the tobacco and banking industries.
In Macon, Georgia, some 2,100 people's jobs face getting smoked by the merger of Brown & Williamson and R.J. Reynolds. Average wage of these workers is $26 an hour amounting to between incomes of $50,000 to $70,000. However, it would be shortsighted to look only at these The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067533513138278092003-10-30T09:05:00.000-08:002003-10-30T09:05:01.090-08:00Let's hear it for VH1's "I Love the 80s: Strikes Back" because today's gnarly economy news does a little Men Without Hats as "Pop Goes the World."
We're back to spending like it's 1984 as the nation's GDP jumps up 7.2 percent in the third quarter.
"The burst of GDP growth was led by a 6.6 percent growth rate in consumer spending, the fastest pace since 1988. Consumer spending grew at a 3.8 The Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067441429226740872003-10-29T07:30:00.000-08:002003-10-29T07:30:28.280-08:00From today's BLS Metropolitan Unemployment and Employment Report for September 2003:
"In September, 166 metropolitan areas recorded higher unemployment rates than a year earlier, 143 areas had lower rates, and 22 areas had rates that were unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Fourteen areas posted unemployment rates below 3.0 percent, with nineThe Timesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582278.post-1067373119001838512003-10-28T12:31:00.000-08:002003-10-28T12:31:58.126-08:00If Sesame Street were to take place in our times, would Mr. Hooper find Bob and Maria walking home carrying Wal-Mart bags full of groceries? How many new words would our kids be exposed to in that episode?
The Count could then go on to teach the children how two (yes, two! ah, ha-ha) former loyal customers abandoning Mr. Hooper for "Always Low Prices, Always" equals one empty storefront The Timesnoreply@blogger.com