If you’re looking for any sort of sign that the economy might not be as ill-fated as it occasionally appears, here’s something for you. A new study shows that, while the job market may be flat, the number of millionaires in the U.S. is on the rise, with the number of households worth at least $1 million up 16% from last year. [More]
unemployment
New Survey Shows Layoffs Flattening Out, A Few New Jobs To Come
By 3.9.10
The latest survey on employers’ hiring patterns is a good news/bad news affair. On the up side, business owners don’t really plan on laying more people off in the next few months. On the down side, they also don’t expect to be hiring all that many people. [More]
Microsoft Donates $8 Million In Pocket Change To Help Veterans Find Jobs
By 3.8.10
For U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, they’re coming home to a depressed job market and double-digit unemployment. That’s why a little Washington-based software company called Microsoft is ponying up $2 million in cash and $6 million in software to help these new civilians find jobs. [More]
Well, This Employment Graph Is Just Terrifying
By 3.7.10
This graph shows employment declines at the same chronological point during America’s last six recessions. Guess which one represents the current recession. Go ahead, guess. [New York Times] (Thanks, Dan!) [More]
32K Jobs Lost In February, But Unemployment Holds At 9.7%
By 3.5.10
It’s a sign of just how bad it’s been in recent times when it’s taken as good news that the national unemployment rate is still 9.7%, which is what the latest Labor Dept. figures show for February. Also on the silver-lining front, while a net total of 36,000 jobs were lost last month, that’s 14,000 less than had been expected. [More]
Fewer People Getting Laid Off These Days
By 3.3.10
Here’s some not-so-bleak news to brighten your day. A new study shows that only 20,000 Americans lost their job in the private sector in the last month. That’s down a whopping 67% from January’s numbers. And some are hoping this is just the start of an upward trend. [More]
Job Fair Canceled Even Though There Are Jobs To Be Had
By 3.2.10
A job fair in the South Carolina vacation town of Myrtle Beach was canceled this year because only 30% of the companies usually attending the expo had planned to return. But before you think this is a bleak sign that the recession is getting worse, there’s this fact: 70% of these companies say they are hiring. So why scrap the job fair if almost everyone is looking for employees? [More]
Man Spends $700 On Cell Phone Minutes To Get $700 Unemployment Check
By 2.28.10
Filing for unemployment benefits can be an exhausting bureaucratic mess, but it shouldn’t cost you hundreds of dollars. In theory. According to TV station KOB, though, a New Mexico man spent so many hours on hold with the unemployment office that he ran up a $700 cell phone bill. [More]
Senate Passes Jobs Bill, Crosses Fingers & Says A Prayer It Works
By 2.24.10
In a rare move of semi-solidarity, both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate approved a $15 billion initiative intended to spur job creation and growth. Of course, that amount is still $5 billion less than the total amount of bonuses doled out by Wall Street banks last year. [More]
Credit Checks For Jobs On The Rise
By 2.24.10
Some HR departments use credit checks to help determine whether to hire an applicant. The practice has always had critics, since credit histories can have errors that are hard to correct, and since there’s no strong correlation between credit history and job performance. But in this economy the practice may be even less fair, notes MSNBC, even though more organizations are relying on it. [More]
Schwarzenegger Sez: Worst Of Recession Is Over
By 2.22.10
You might not know it because you’re too busy looking for a job, but apparently the worst of the recession is behind us. At least according to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. [More]
Don't Fall For Job Scams
By 2.17.10
The Federal Trade Commission has a website at www.ftc.gov/jobscams with information on the types of scams you’re likely to find in Help Wanted listings. They’ve also put together a short video (below) that describes how scammers try to charge job hunters fees to pay for job certification, or to provide access to executive-level interviews, or to acquire study materials that are supposedly crucial to passing a hiring exam. It’s a good refresher course in what to look out for when you’re answering ads. [More]
24 Ways To Make Some Extra Money
By 2.15.10
If you’re between jobs, underemployed, or just have a lot of extra time on your hands now that you’ve give up expensive hobbies like smoking or shopping, here’s a list of 24 ways you can you earn some extra money. They’re not full time jobs, or sometimes even part-time jobs, but they’re a good starting point if you need some inspiration on how to bring in a little extra cash. [More]
Consumerists, How Do I Deal With Credit Card Companies Now That I've Lost My Job?
By 2.9.10
Newly unemployed, credit card debt-carrying Lilgaladriel wants some advice on how to deal with the credit card companies. He writes: [More]
Bank of America Screws Even Ex-Employees Of 21 Years On Mortgages
By 2.8.10
How many different ways can you screw a man? Vince couldn’t make his Bank of America mortgage, because they fired him after 21 years of service in the due diligence department. Even after he did a short sale 5 months ago, Bank of America still hasn’t cleared it off their books. Now the illegal debt collection calls start. Is new CEO Brian Moynihan powerless to stop his own company from shaking down its own employees? Let’s find out! [More]
How To Make Sure You Get Paid What You're Worth
By 1.25.10
Wired has put together a Wiki called a
Welcome To The Permanent Temporary Workforce
By 1.10.10
As we recover from the Great Recession ™, unemployment may go down, but something will have changed. Economic conditions have accelerated the trend toward what BusinessWeek calls the “disposable worker.” Americans’ concept of a full-time job–one that includes health and retirement benefits and a measure of security–will need to change in the coming years. [More]
Unemployment Rate Still Only 10% Because Everyone's Just Giving Up
By 1.9.10
The good news: the national unemployment rate hasn’t gone above 10%. The bad news: it’s because hundreds of thousands of people are giving up hope and dropping out of the labor force entirely. The percentage of Americans taking part in the labor force is the lowest it’s been since the mid-’80s, and over 900,000 people are no longer looking for work because they don’t think any is available. [More]
