(The Ticker – The Washington Post) Each month, as regular readers know, I like to unpack the new unemployment number and get behind the data. The news this month continues to be grim. Indeed, it is climbing rapidly toward record-grim territory.
The official U.S. unemployment rate in October rose to 10.2 percent from 9.8 percent in September, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
But the truer measure of unemployment — a total count of everyone who should be working full time but is not — hit 17.5 percent in October, the highest level in modern times.
The official unemployment number … Continue Reading
Many California jobs ’saved’ by stimulus funds weren’t in jeopardy
By Phillip Reese
(The Sacramento Bee) Up to one-fourth of the 110,000 jobs reported as saved by federal stimulus money in California probably never were in danger, a Bee review has found.
California State University officials reported late last week that they saved more jobs with stimulus money than the number of jobs saved in Texas – and in 44 other states.
In a required state report to the federal government, the university system said the $268.5 million it received in stimulus funding through October allowed it to retain 26,156 employees.
That total represents more … Continue Reading
CalChamber Keeps California Companies Competitive; New Partnership With ETP Will Facilitate Training for Thousands of Employees Statewide
The California Chamber of Commerce and the Employment Training Panel (ETP) have joined forces in a newly announced partnership that will result in customized job skills training programs for members’ employees throughout the state.
“In this difficult economy, California employers need to have access to training that will improve the skills and productivity of our workforce and help keep our state’s companies competitive,” said Allan Zaremberg, President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce. “Our partnership with ETP will help employees, employers and our … Continue Reading
By HOWARD FINE
(Los Angeles Business Journal) L.A. County’s unemployment rate jumped in September to yet another modern record high of 12.7 percent as the county’s tourism and film industries took significant job hits.September’s 12.7 percent unemployment rate was up from 12.2 percent in August and 8.3 percent in September 2008; over the past year, more than 210,000 county residents have joined the ranks of the unemployed.
Statewide, the unemployment rate was 12.2 percent in September, down slightly from 12.3 percent in August but up from 7.8 percent a year ago. Nationally, the unemployment rate hit 9.8 percent in September.
Yet the county … Continue Reading
