Labor & Economic News - Institute for Research on Labor & Employment Library

Young, Underemployed and Optimistic Coming of Age, Slowly, in a Tough Economy

2012-02-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Young, Underemployed and Optimistic
Pew Social and Demographic Trends
Nonetheless, since 2010, the share of young adults ages 18 to 24 currently employed (54%) has been its lowest since the government began collecting these data in 1948. Andthe gap in employment between young and all working-age adults—roughly 15 ...

Family health care premiums exceed 20% of income

2011-11-17T10:34:00.001-08:00

Family health care premiums exceed 20% of income

Family health insurance premiums in California went up 52 percent between 2003 and 2010 and now exceed 20 percent of income, according to a study released today. A state-by-state analysis by the Commonwealth Fund..

Britain: Ed Miliband endures rough ride at TUC after criticism of pension strike action

2011-09-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ed Miliband endures rough ride at TUC after criticism of pension strike action
Labour leader urges talks to prevent confrontation while public sector unions gear up for a long-running battle

America losing ground in global competition for college-educated

2011-09-13T13:40:00.001-07:00

America losing ground in global competition for college-educated ...
America appears to be losing an important edge in the global knowledge economy, with its share of college-educated workers falling relative to rival economic powers, according to a new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

US Poverty Rate, 1 in 6, at Highest Level in Years

2011-09-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

US Poverty Rate, 1 in 6, at Highest Level in Years
The portion of Americans living in poverty last year rose to the highest level since 1993, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday, fresh evidence that the sluggish economicrecovery has done nothing for the country's poorest citizens

Britain: TUC conference: what's in store

2011-09-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

TUC conference: what's in store
As the TUC conference begins, union leaders and leftwing commentators discuss what the main themes will be

US states to pay unemployment bills, taxes could rise

2011-09-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

USstates to pay unemployment bills, taxes could rise
Employers in states with outstanding loans as of Jan. 1 would begin losing a federal tax credit, too, driving up the amounts theypay into unemployment

What New Jobs Fix Will Obama Propose Tonight?

2011-09-08T09:50:00.001-07:00

What New Jobs Fix Will Obama Propose Tonight?
President Obama, in a joint session of Congress Thursday night, will announce his plan to get more Americans working. David Greene speaks to David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal about the challenges Obama faces promoting a jobs program and reviving the economy.

Apprenticeships May Solve Skills Gap, Spark Economy

2011-09-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Apprenticeships May Solve Skills Gap, Spark Economy
Morning Edition has been asking business people for their one idea on how to help fix a part of the economy. Tim Brown, CEO of the design firm IDEO, talks to Steve Inskeep about his idea of reviving apprenticeships.
NPR Morning Edition

Weekly Unemployment Claims Rise Slightly

2011-09-08T09:45:00.001-07:00

Weekly Unemployment Claims Rise Slightly
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits ticked up slightly last week, evidence that the job market isn't improving. The Labor Department said weekly applications for unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 414,000.

Amid Skepticism, Obama Prepares For Jobs Speech

2011-09-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Amid Skepticism, Obama Prepares For Jobs Speech
The president's jobs proposal is expected to include a combination of new and extended tax cuts, new spending on public works projects, and assistance for those who've been out of work a long time. But he's dogged by the controversy that surrounds his early stimulus effort.

Jobs outlook not pretty this Labor Day

2011-09-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

Jobs outlook not pretty this Labor Day
Sylvia Allegretto, labor economist, Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics
http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2011/09/02/labor-day-2/

Putting Wisconsin's Union Battle In Historical Context

2011-03-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

Putting Wisconsin's Union Battle In Historical Context
Republicans in state legislatures of Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio are trying to cut collective bargaining rights for workers in the public sector.

Anger brews over government workers

2011-03-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Anger brews over government workers
When Erin McFarlane looks at public workers, she sees lucrative pension benefits she doesn't ever expect to get. And it makes her mad. "I don't think that a federal employee or government employee is worth any more than anybody else who does their job...

Battle in Oakland as pension fund payment looms

2011-02-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

Battle in Oakland as pension fund payment looms
A battle over how to pay for a pension fund is looming as the biggest political battle in Oakland, Ca

Fight over Wisconsin unions heats up

2011-02-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

Fight over Wisconsin unions heats up
Wisconsin Republicans on Monday turned up the heat on Democratic state senators who fled to Illinois last week to block passage of a...

Harsh Winter Pushes German Jobless Above 3 Million

2011-01-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Harsh Winter Pushes German Jobless Above 3 Million

A freezing start to the winter pushed unemployment in Germany back above 3 million in December...

Villaraigosa takes on teachers union

2010-12-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Villaraigosa takes on teachers union
In a speech to state leaders, the mayor brands United Teachers Los Angeles as an obstacle to reform as the city stands at 'a critical crossroads.'

Court to look at huge Wal-Mart sex bias lawsuit

2010-12-06T15:45:00.000-08:00

Court to look at huge Wal-Mart sex bias lawsuit
WalMart argued that it doesn't have a company wide policy of discrimination, and therefore women alleging gender bias should file individual lawsuits

Minimum wage hikes don’t eliminate jobs, study finds

2010-12-03T12:47:00.000-08:00

Minimum wage hikes don’t eliminate jobs, study finds
Increasing the minimum wage does not lead to the short- or long-term loss of low paying jobs, according to a new study co-authored by UC Berkeley economics professor Michael Reich and published in the November issue of the journal The Review of Economics and Statistics.

Three years later, millions wait for jobs

2010-12-03T11:54:00.001-08:00

Three years later, millions wait for jobs
December marks three years since the start of the Great Recession – and 18 months since it officially ended. But new data released on Friday show a nationwide unemployment rate of 9.8%.

Creating 21st Century Jobs

2010-12-03T11:51:00.001-08:00

Creating 21st Century Jobs
The Hamilton Project and the Center for American Progress examine challenges to American workers and offer three discrete policy options to promote the future competitiveness and prosperity of the U.S. labor force.

The Problem with Men: A Look at Long-term Employment Trends

2010-12-03T11:50:00.001-08:00

The Problem with Men: A Look at Long-term Employment Trends
November’s weaker-than-expected jobs numbers offer new evidence that little headway has been made at reducing the pool of the unemployed. Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney, in a new Hamilton Project examination of the “job gap,” focus on the plight of male workers in the longer-term U.S. employment trends.

Disappointing Job Growth in U.S. as Jobless Rate Hits 9.8%

2010-12-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

Disappointing Job Growth in U.S. as Jobless Rate Hits 9.8%
The economy added only 39,000 jobs in November, the Labor Department said, dampening hopes that the recovery was gathering momentum.

Global shipping industry faces worker shortage

2010-12-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

Global shipping industry faces worker shortage
After an unwelcome reprieve caused by the global recession, employers in international trade again are growing concerned about whether there...

Brown's green plan

2010-12-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

Brown's green plan
Gov.-elect Jerry Brown's plan to create jobs relies on an expansion of renewable energy in California. The energy plan, introduced during...

Fears grow over length of US jobs crisis

2010-12-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

Fears grow over length of US jobs crisis
President Barack Obama will get his latest jobs report card Friday, with economists warning painfully high levels of US unemployment will not end any time soon.

Unemployed, and Likely to Stay That Way

2010-12-02T16:22:00.001-08:00

Unemployed, and Likely to Stay That Way
The longer people stay out of work, the more trouble they have finding new work, adding to the challenge for policy makers trying to reduce joblessness.

End of jobless benefits for 2 million begins

2010-12-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

End of jobless benefits for 2 million begins
Unless Congress changes its mind, the cut off for those whose benefits had been extended to 99 weeks has arrived.

It's a bad time for job seekers with criminal records

2010-11-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

It's a bad time for job seekers with criminal records
Eddie Lemon has an associate's degree from Taft College near Bakersfield. He's certified to work as a sheet metal operator and to...

Loss of jobless benefits could be serious blow to U.S. economy

2010-11-30T16:24:00.000-08:00

Loss of jobless benefits could be serious blow to U.S. economy
With 2 million jobless workers set to lose unemployment benefits this month, the kind of extension that Congress routinely approved in the past has fallen victim to partisan deadlock — and the consequences could be serious for the U.S. economy.

Global MetroMonitor: The Path to Economic Recovery

2010-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

Global MetroMonitor: The Path to Economic Recovery
A first-ever look at the recent economic performance of 150 leading global metropolitan areas finds that the Great Recession has accelerated a shift in economic growth toward emerging-market metro economies in Asia and Latin America, creating challenges and opportunities for their counterparts in the United States and Europe.

US Jobless Claims Decline to 407000, Lowest Since July 2008

2010-11-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

US Jobless Claims Decline to 407000, Lowest Since July 2008
Applications for unemployment benefits in the US fell more than For 2012, the jobless rate will be 7.7 percent to 8.2 percent,

Gloomy Fed employment forecast overshadows upbeat GDP data

2010-11-24T10:01:00.001-08:00

Gloomy Fed employment forecast overshadows upbeat GDP data
The American economy grew faster in the third quarter this year than previously estimated, but that bit of encouraging news was overshadowed by a grim...

The Economic Case for Unemployment Insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

2010-11-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

The Economic Case for Unemployment Insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Businesses can expect a dreary holiday shopping season if Congress does not continue benefits for the long-term unemployed. These benefits help families to weather hard times, and right now millions of American families remain out of work or underemployed. They help families keep a roof over their head and food on the table while they search for work and wait for the economy to improve.

Healthcare sector loses steam in California

2010-11-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Healthcare sector loses steam in California
Healthcare has long been one of the most reliable generators of new jobs in California. But a lousy economy has caught up with an industry...

State stems jobs loss; rate still 12.4%

2010-11-19T10:54:00.001-08:00

California stems jobs loss; rate still 12.4%
The economy added 39,000 jobs in October after losing 53,600 in September. Hiring was spread across sectors as diverse as government and leisure and hospitality

Where is the Learning? Measuring Schooling Efforts in Developing Countries

2010-11-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

Where is the Learning? Measuring Schooling Efforts in Developing Countries
Around the world, there have been major gains in primary school enrollment, but students in many countries are spending years in school without learning core competencies. In this brief, Jacques van der Gaag and Anda Adams provide an overview of the global learning crisis and make policy recommendations for the global community and national governments to focus on the crucial knowledge acquisition and skills development of education.

Interstate Migration Has Fallen Less Than You Think

2010-11-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Interstate Migration Has Fallen Less Than You Think
Justin Wolfers takes a closer look at Census Bureau data techniques to see that interstate migration has not been slowing down as severely as one might think looking at the raw numbers.

More Americans opt for high-deductible health insurance plans

2010-11-09T14:35:00.001-08:00

More Americans opt for high-deductible health insurance plans
Looking to save money in a weak economy, Americans increasingly are turning to health insurance plans with low premiums and high deductibles...

Feds: Woman Illegally Fired Over Facebook Remarks

2010-11-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Feds: Woman Illegally Fired Over Facebook Remarks
A Connecticut woman who was fired after she posted disparaging remarks about her boss on Facebook has prompted a first-of-its-kind legal case by

Job Postings Drop in September, but Small Businesses Show Optimism

2010-11-09T14:20:00.001-08:00

Job Postings Drop in September, but Small Businesses Show Optimism
It was the second month of declines in job vacancies, but an index showed that more small-business owners planned to hire than fire in the next three months.

Five Jobless Workers Per Opening in September

2010-11-09T14:18:00.001-08:00

Five Jobless Workers Per Opening in September
The ratio rose slightly from August but has generally been trending downward since the recession ended in June 2009, according to a Labor Department report.

Shifting Health Costs to High Earners

2010-11-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

Shifting Health Costs to High Earners
As costs rise, employers are shifting the burden of health care contributions to workers in top salary brackets.

Education, Employment and the Great Recession in Metropolitan America

2010-11-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

Education, Employment and the Great Recession in Metropolitan America
In an analysis of employment by educational attainment in America's 100 largest metropolitan areas, Alan Berube finds sigificant differences in the recession's impacts across these metro areas on workers with different levels of educational attainment

The Great Recession’s Toll on Long-Term Unemployment

2010-11-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Great Recession’s Toll on Long-Term Unemployment
The U.S. economy is creating jobs for the first time in months, with an increase of 151,000 jobs last month. Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney analyze the October employment numbers and explore the impact of the Great Recession on the length of unemployment for American workers

Jobs Data Highlights the Challenges for Washington

2010-11-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Jobs Data Highlights the Challenges for Washington
Good, but not good enough.

For jobless, illegal immigration can be a sore point

2010-10-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

For jobless, illegal immigration can be a sore point
Javier Gonzalez believes he would have a job today were it not for illegal immigration. "I think that illegal immigrants

Graduate employment gap

2010-10-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

Graduate employment gap
This Briefing Paper further explores the racial and ethnic variation in the employment situation for recent high school and college graduates.

Study: Public workers not highly paid

2010-10-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

Study: Public workers not highly paid
College-educated employees actually earn less than their counterparts in the private sector.

CWED Paper on "The Truth about Public Employees in California: They are Neither Overpaid nor Overcompensated"

2010-10-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

The Truth about Public Employees in California: They are Neither Overpaid nor Overcompensated
This reports shows that wages earned by California’s public employees are about 7 percent lower, on average, than those received by comparable private sector worker. However, when taking into account the more generous benefits received by government employees, there remains no significant difference in the level of total compensation between the two sectors

Muslims Facing Discrimination at Work

2010-09-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

Muslims Facing Discrimination at Work
Though Muslims are less than 2 percent of the United States population, they accounted for about one-quarter of the religious discrimination claims filed by workers.

For the Unemployed Over 50, Fears of Never Working Again

2010-09-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

For the Unemployed Over 50, Fears of Never Working Again
Of the 14.9 million unemployed, more than 2.2 million are 55 or older. Nearly half of them have been unemployed six months or longer, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate in the group — 7.3 percent — is at a record, more than double what it was at the beginning of the latest recession.

Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009

2010-09-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that real median household income in the United States in 2009 was $49,777, not statistically different from the 2008 median. The nation's official poverty rate in 2009 was 14.3 percent, up from 13.2 percent in 2008 — the second statistically significant annual increase in the poverty rate since 2004. There were 43.6 million people in poverty in 2009, up from 39.8 million in 2008 — the third consecutive annual increase. Meanwhile, the number of people without health insurance coverage rose from 46.3 million in 2008 to 50.7 million in 2009, while the percentage increased from 15.4 percent to 16.7 percent over the same period. These findings are contained in the report Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009. The following results for the nation were compiled from information collected in the 2010 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC):

2010-08-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Severe Crisis of Jobs in the United States and California

by Sylvia Allegretto, August 2010

The economy needs jobs, jobs, jobs and more jobs—this is not news to the 25 million unemployed and underemployed workers who continue to bear the hardships of the Great Recession. Workers have grown weary and families once bending are now breaking under the strain. The severe crisis of jobs in the United States and, particularly, in California seems to be lost as austerity dominates the policy dialogue in Washington, DC. In California, another round of cuts and anti-stimulus measures are underway and they will move the state further away from recovery. The downturn has hit the state especially hard and given its size and importance in the U.S. economy it is hard to imagine a robust recovery without the Golden State.

New claims for jobless benefits rise to 479K

2010-08-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

New claims for jobless benefits rise to 479K
Initial requests for jobless benefits rose last week to their highest level since April, a sign that hiring remains weak and some companies are ...

The New Workplace Sexism

2010-08-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

The New Workplace Sexism
They might not think of it as sexual harassment, but what men say to other men when women's backs are turned is damaging, too.

A Labor War Ended

2010-07-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

A Labor War Ended
Labor's longest-running and most contentious divorce dispute has finally been settled. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and UNITE HERE, the union of hotel and gaming workers, announced last night that they had reached an agreement on who will represent which workers and who will get which financial assets, ending a two-year battle that had pitted two of the nation's most progressive and innovative unions against each other.

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report [07/22/2010]

2010-07-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report [07/22/2010]
In the week ending July 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 464,000, an increase of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 427,000. The 4-week moving average was 456,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 454,750.

Hispanic financial worries deep

2010-07-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

Univision poll:Hispanic financial worries deep
For Hispanics in America, the ravaged economy has been a personal nightmare.

DOL pay equity and workplace flexibility initiatives announced as part of White House Middle Class Task Force forum [07/20/2010]

2010-07-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

DOL pay equity and workplace flexibility initiatives announced as part of White House Middle Class Task Force forum [07/20/2010]
Today, at a White House Middle Class Task Force forum hosted by Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced several department initiatives designed to end wage discrimination while improving pay equity and work/life balance.

Economy showing signs of recovery, but job growth in states too slow

2010-07-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

Economy showing signs of recovery, but job growth in states too slow
In Sustainable Economics, Wages and Living Standards, Jobs, Press Releases

Unemployment Declines in 44 States, But Rises in Nevada

2010-07-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Unemployment Declines in 44 States, But Rises in Nevada
Nine saw their unemployment rates fall by at least 0.4%. New Hampshire's rate fell by the most, 0.5% to 5.9%. Of the ten worst state labor markets

Goodbye census! Hello, unemployment

2010-07-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

Goodbye census! Hello, unemployment
"I survived once on unemployment, but I don't prefer to go through another last-ditch route like that again," Jensen said. "I'll go wherever I have to go to

Nummi workers hone job-hunting skills

2010-07-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Nummi workers hone job-hunting skills
Not only have the former auto plant employees lost their jobs, their entire industry is imploding.

Where Few Women Go: A Building Site

2010-07-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Where Few Women Go: A Building Site
Building sets for school musicals showed Sharon Darling that she loved construction, setting her on a path to become an electrician.

Corporate profits have recovered, but job market still depressed

2010-07-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

Corporate profits have recovered, but job market still depressed
In Economic Performance, Financial Markets, Recession/Stimulus, Wages and Living Standards, Jobs

White House insists stimulus plan a job engine

2010-07-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

White House insists stimulus plan a job engine
The White House said Wednesday that President Barack Obama's stimulus law had raised employment by up to 3.6 million jobs, as it battled to trump public skepticism over the mammoth plan.

Fears grow as millions lose jobless benefits

2010-07-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Fears grow as millions lose jobless benefits
Deborah Coleman lost her unemployment benefits in April, and now fears for millions of others if the Senate does not extend aid for the jobless.

The graying of the labor force

2010-07-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

The graying of the labor force
For the first time on record, working seniors outnumber teens.

Bloomberg News Workers over 65 vie with Teens

The State of the Job Market, June 2010

2010-07-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

The State of the Job Market, June 2010
June’s employment numbers offer a discouraging picture of the job market recovery, says Gary Burtless. He analyzes the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data and what they mean for the progress of economic recovery in the United States.

“Missing” workers return

2010-05-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

“Missing” workers return
In February, in testimony to Congress about the urgent need for more jobs, EPI President Lawrence Mishel explained that even once the economy started to create jobs again, unemployment rates would continue to rise as large numbers of “missing workers” returned to the work force.

How Health Reform Helps Reduce the Deficit

2010-05-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

How Health Reform Helps Reduce the Deficit
The new health reform law will extend coverage to over 30 million uninsured Americans and provide important consumer protections to tens of millions of insured Americans whose coverage may have critical gaps. These coverage expansions will be more than paid for by specific reductions in spending for Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs and by additional tax revenues. Overall, health reform will reduce the deficit by $143 billion over 2010-2019, according to the Congressional Budget …

Long-term Joblessness Reaches New High

2010-05-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Long-term Joblessness Reaches New High
Friday’s employment report wasn’t good news for the long-term unemployed. The number of people looking for work for 27 weeks or more grew by 169,000 to 6.7 million, half of the total number of unemployed, and the average duration of joblessness continued to grow, to 33 weeks. Gary Burtless responds to the question of whether the government should propose new tax, training or other policy ideas to target the jobless who can’t find work.

Metropolitan Milwaukee's Problems Mirror the National Challenge

2010-05-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

Metropolitan Milwaukee's Problems Mirror the National Challenge
Presenting Milwaukee as a case study, Alan Berube provides insight into the major demographic shifts affecting metropolitan areas across the United States. Using a typology introduced in the State of Metropolitan America report, Berube identifies Milwaukee’s specific challenges and suggests ways local and state leaders can meet the needs of a changing population.

Budget 2011: Industry Clusters as a Paradigm for Job Growth

2010-02-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

Budget 2011: Industry Clusters as a Paradigm for Job Growth
The Obama administration’s FY2011 budget request unveils several proposals to support regional industry or innovation “clusters” through multiple federal departments, which could put the U.S. on par with other nations in providing support to these systems of business development.

Bakery Holding Its Own After Cutting Workforce

2010-02-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

Bakery Holding Its Own After Cutting Workforce
Outside Boston, the Dancing Deer Baking Co. sells all kinds of cookies and brownies to restaurants and stores. Last year, during the worst of the recession, the owner had to lay off some of the employees. Would the bakery be helped by President Obama's efforts to get banks to loan more to small businesses?

In California, Small Businesses Hit By 'Perfect Storm'

2010-02-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

In California, Small Businesses Hit By 'Perfect Storm'
Tight credit, falling home prices and high unemployment contributed to a high bankruptcy rate among small businesses in the state. Keanyn and Estella Gray know all too well that owning a small business in California is hardly smooth sailing.

Some U.S. Jobs Aren't Coming Back

2010-01-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Some U.S. Jobs Aren't Coming Back
Even when the U.S. labor market finally starts adding more workers than it loses, many of the unemployed will find that the types of jobs they once had simply don't exist anymore.

Cobra extension a big help for jobless

2009-12-22T09:49:00.000-08:00

Cobra extension a big help for jobless
Congress extends time people can sign up for healthcare subsidy and adds six months of subsidies.

High Rates of Joblessness and the Deficit

2009-12-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

High Rates of Joblessness and the Deficit
Isabel Sawhill reacts to President Obama's speech on creating jobs and the economy, delivered at Brookings. She concludes that by proposing and then enacting key fiscal restraints now and then gradually phasing them in as the economy recovers, there need be no te

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report [12/10/2009]

2009-12-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report [12/10/2009]
In the week ending Dec. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 474,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 457,000. The 4-week moving average was 473,750, a decrease of 7,750 from the previous week's revised average of 481,500.

Creating Jobs in the Recession

2009-12-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

Creating Jobs in the Recession
During testimony before a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Bruce Katz highlighted six strategies to stop additional job losses and build a lower-carbon, innovation-fueled and export-oriented economy. He emphasized that national recovery will be metropolitan-led but will vary across metropolitan areas—the building blocks of the U.S. economy.

High unemployment: A fact of life for American Indians

2009-12-09T14:54:00.000-08:00

High unemployment: A fact of life for American Indians
In Economic Performance, Recession/Stimulus, Race and Ethnicity, Economic Status, Wages and Living Standards, Jobs, Unemployment Insurance

Changes Needed to Reduce Volatility in California's Workers' Compensation Insurance Market

2009-12-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

Changes Needed to Reduce Volatility in California's Workers' Compensation Insurance Market
California's workers' compensation insurance market will remain vulnerable to wide swings in performance unless changes are made to improve the predictability of costs, transparency of pricing decisions, regulatory oversight and consistency of the incentives facing different parties.

The Meaning of the Jobs Report

2009-12-08T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Meaning of the Jobs Report
Martin Baily examines the latest jobs report, concluding that it was much better than expected and hence increases the chances that a strong or at least solid recovery is underway. However, he cautions that it is too early to be sure and another few months of good reports are needed before optimism carries the day.

Unemployment Statistics on Older Americans : Updated 12/09

2009-12-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

Unemployment Statistics on Older Americans : Updated 12/09
The recession has increased joblessness among older Americans. These graphs and tables report unemployment rates and how they have varied by age, sex, race, and education since 2007.

The Improving Labor Market May Be Worse than You Think

2009-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

The Improving Labor Market May Be Worse than You Think
In light of November's unemployment report, which showed the unemployment rate down 0.2 percent and payrolls remaining essentially flat, Ben Harris and William Gale explain that although the numbers are improving, it is important to recognize the labor outlook for what it is: possibly the worst we’ve seen in at least 60 years.

Current Employment Statistics Latest Numbers

2009-12-04T14:24:00.000-08:00

Current Employment Statistics Latest Numbers

By U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Change in Payroll Employment:
-11,000(p) in Nov 2009
Historical Data

Change in Average Hourly Earnings:
+$0.01(p) in Nov 2009
Historical Data

Change in Average Weekly Hours:
+0.2(p) in Nov 2009
Historical Data

Change in Manufacturing Average Weekly Hours:
+0.3(p) in Nov 2009
Historical Data

Change in Aggregate Hours Index:
+0.6(p) in Nov 2009
Historical Data

Change in Real Earnings:
unchanged in Oct 2009
Historical Data

p- preliminary

Podcast: The November Unemployment Report and What it Means for the Economy

2009-12-04T14:17:00.000-08:00

Podcast: The November Unemployment Report and What it Means for the Economy
The jobs report for November is discussed by Chief Economist, Chad Stone. Duration: 4:05

Statement: Chad Stone, Chief Economist, on the November Employment Report

2009-12-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

Statement: Chad Stone, Chief Economist, on the November Employment Report
Today’s report that the pace of job losses has dramatically abated is the most encouraging in a long time, but serious problems remain for unemployed job-seekers. The number of people who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more continued to climb in November, and these long-term unemployed now are nearly 40 percent of total unemployment (see chart). Renewing the temporary assistance for unemployed workers scheduled to expire in less than a month and providing …

Positive News in the November Employment Report

2009-12-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Positive News in the November Employment Report
In a very gloomy year for America’s job market, the November employment report is the best one we’ve seen in a long time. The big news is that the unemployment rate is down. Gary Burtless examines the implications of the complete report.

New CBO Report Finds Recovery Act has Preserved or Created up to 1.6 Million Jobs

2009-12-03T14:19:00.000-08:00

New CBO Report Finds Recovery Act has Preserved or Created up to 1.6 Million Jobs
A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimates that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) had preserved or created between 600,000 and 1.6 million jobs as of September. This estimate by Congress’ non-partisan economic and budget analysts is more comprehensive than the 640,000 jobs that ARRA recipients reported in late October, CBO explains. ARRA Also Prevented Even Deeper Recession, CBO Finds CBO also concluded that ARRA boosted economic activity …

Around the Halls: How Do We Create Jobs?

2009-12-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

Around the Halls: How Do We Create Jobs?
As the Obama administration hosts economists, academics and corporate executives at a White House "jobs summit" to consider how the government can spur job creation, scholars from around the halls of Brookings suggest a range of ideas from revisiting the National Infrastructure Bank to more investment in education and training.

Examining Economic Mobility in America

2009-12-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

Examining Economic Mobility in America
Examining the barriers to economic mobility in America, Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill discuss the alarming unemployment rate and the extent of poverty in America and the distinct challenges facing immigrant families and African-American children.

How Well Have Middle Class American Families Accumulated Wealth? : Net Worth over the Life Cycle between 1989 and 2007

2009-12-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

How Well Have Middle Class American Families Accumulated Wealth? : Net Worth over the Life Cycle between 1989 and 2007
Many commentators have worried about the low savings rates and high debt levels of American families. Does this picture of unbridled consumption and low asset accumulation fit the American family? Did declines in 2008-2009 house prices, stocks, and bonds reinforce stagnating wealth or offset previous growth in wealth? Using data from the 1989, 1998, and 2007 Surveys of Consumer Finances (SCF) to replicate family experiences over the life cycle by following age cohorts, this fact sheet shows that from 1989 to 2007 American families were accumulating wealth at a healthy rate as individuals and families moved through their life cycle.

Recent GAO Report on Recovery Act's Jobs Impact Widely Misunderstood

2009-11-30T14:20:00.000-08:00

Recent GAO Report on Recovery Act's Jobs Impact Widely Misunderstood
Many observers have misread a November 19 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examining the government’s claim that the part of this year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) consisting of grants, contracts, and loans has created or saved roughly 640,000 jobs to date.[1] Some observers have interpreted the GAO report as concluding that ARRA as a whole has created or preserved fewer than 640,000 jobs. Others seem to assume the report suggests …

Relief for States and Struggling Families Provides Substantial Boost to Employment

2009-11-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

Relief for States and Struggling Families Provides Substantial Boost to Employment
The economy is in a very deep hole and faces a long climb back to full employment. Policymakers can make that climb easier by extending or bolstering key provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enacted at the start of the year — particularly those related to unemployment insurance and state fiscal relief, whose scheduled expiration would otherwise exert a job-killing drag on the economy. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for policymakers …

Joblessness Across the US: Unemployment Rates, by State

2009-11-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

Joblessness Across the US: Unemployment Rates, by State

The labor market pain continued to be spread throughout the nation in October, as 29 US states recorded increases in their unemployment rates,

California Jobless rate hits 12.5 percent

2009-11-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

State jobless rate hits 12.5 percent
The number for October sets another modern record.