03 Aug 04 U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Discusses Job Growth, Aid for Workers at Louisiana Economic Forum

To: National Desk

Contact: Dirk Fillpot of the U.S. Department of Labor, 202-693-4676

HAMMOND, La., Aug. 3 /U.S. Newswire/ — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao told the Louisiana Economic Forum that President Bush’s leadership and sound economic policies have led to strong job growth in Louisiana and across America, and that the Administration’s commitment to reforming training and employment programs will help workers find and prepare for new job opportunities in the growing economy.

“Nationally, this is the 10th straight month of job growth,” Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said in the Forum’s keynote address at Southeastern Louisiana University. “More than 1.5 million new jobs have been created since last August. The national unemployment rate is now 5.6 percent, which is lower than the average unemployment rate of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.”

The steady and consistent growth in the national economy is evident in Louisiana, Secretary Chao noted. Louisiana’s unemployment rate has dropped a full percentage point since June of last year. Louisiana added 5,900 jobs in June, across a broad range of sectors. Secretary Chao also pointed out that while the economy continues to improve, the Administration is committed to helping workers who are still looking for good, high-paying jobs.

“These improvements are good news for Louisiana and for the country. But President Bush and this Administration recognize that there are folks in Louisiana who still need help. The Department of Labor has tremendous resources available to help workers who are looking for jobs, transitioning between jobs or upgrading their skills,” Chao said.

Some of the services available to job seekers include job training and counseling. Workers can also receive help paying for transportation, child-care expenses and health insurance premiums while looking for work. Louisiana alone receives $132.8 million annually from the U.S. Department of Labor for training and employment services.

Chao also encouraged workers in need of assistance to visit one of 19 Comprehensive One-Stop Career Centers in Louisiana. Workers can find the nearest center at http://www.servicelocator.org.

via U.S. Newswire

27 May 04 Some encouraging comments from a reader

Thanks, Jen!

Jen gave us some encouraging comments recently:

I just wanted to commend the creators on a wonderful job with this blog. I graduated from a prestigious university in 2003, spent 6 months job searching before I finally found something that I was content with. Unfortunately that was temporary, and then I ended up with another temp job, and the owner turned out to be a complete psycho (i filed harassment against him, and he hasn’t paid me for the last month that I worked — and it’s been 2 months now). Anyways, to the person who just completed their 500th resume… I feel your pain. Unemployment is awful — especially when you’re not eligible for unemployment benefits and you can’t pay your rent. *sigh* Alright I’m ending it here… feel free to visit my blog– there’s been a lot of job-search related frustrations lately. GoodLuck!

28 Jan 04

Ohio Labor Market Information Home Page

“Your source for reports and data about employment levels, unemployment rates, wages and earnings, employment projections, jobs, training resources and careers.”

11 Nov 03 Things ‘They’ Don’t Tell You About Unemployment

Carla from Across the Pond shares her and her husband’s experiences with being unemployed in the UK. She also points to OddTodd’s “Laid Off: Help Wanted” cartoon.

I posted some comments to her post and recommended that she have her husband check out Dick Bolles’ Job Hunter’s Bible. It’s the online companion to his book What Color Is Your Parachute? 2007: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (What Color Is Your Parachute), which is republished every year. There is a wealth of advice on how to conduct an effective job search, including the Fairy Godmother Reports: a comparison of what you hope to find and what you actually get; how effective it all is; and some words to remember.

For example, there’s the Fairy Godmother Report on Job-Listing Sites.

01 Nov 03

Yet More Unemployment Claims Weirdness

Okay, here’s what you do. Head over to the original post and read it. Then start to wade through the comments. But be careful, since some folks have inadvertently posted their comments more than once.

Personally, I haven’t taken the time to try to understand what the current unemployment statistics mean for job seekers.

29 Oct 03

eclecticism > Of blogging and unemployment

Michael is now unemployed, having lost his job at Microsoft for something he posted on his blog. His experience and the related comments of others to his post more than adequately illustrate the need to be careful about what and where you post to your personal weblog.

It’s hard not to be enthusiastic and want to share with others what you’re working on, yet I see the need for restraint, especially when it comes to information that may put your employer at a competitive disadvantage.

Good luck, Michael, on your search for a new job. We’re here for you, if you need help.

13 Oct 03

Jobs Are Coming

So saith a story published by Christian Science Monitor via ABC News. The article starts off:

It’s small comfort to people who need a job now, but experts say there’s a dramatic labor shortage looming in the United States. read more…

Something to think about as you file your next unemployment claim.

28 Sep 03

So, where are all the jobs?

This is the question posed by U.S. News & World Report as well as by many job seekers. In a somewhat technical discussion, the editorial examines why unemployment remains where it is, and indicates that there is a “glimmer of hope for the jobless:”

And here, at last, there is a glimmer of hope for the jobless. GDP growth may be accelerating and may move above 5 percent for the next two quarters. If it does, there will surely be a whole lot more jobs, especially in the labor-intensive service sector.

What’s to be done? Not much, for now. No fiscal stimulus is possible, and the administration has already overdone its tax cuts. The only source of macroeconomic support will come from the Federal Reserve Board. It should keep short-term interest rates low and make sure rates for 10 years and longer don’t spike any more.

This, then, is the opinion of Mortimer B. Zuckerman.

18 Sep 03

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Will Be Released 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18

The information in this press release does not appear to merit anything special. I think it’s just to clarify that the release of information will not be delayed by the hurricane warning.

06 Sep 03

Free Work Costs Man Unemployment Benefits

A man in Buffalo, New York paid a radio station for some air time so that he could announce his talents to the general public as the host of a Saturday sports show. While his intentions were to help improve his chances for staying off unemployment in the future, the Labor Department has determined that his efforts qualify as work and have disqualified him from receiving unemployment benefits.

But it goes even further. He’s being ordered to pay back $605 he’s already collected. The man, John Bothe, lost his first appeal but will have his second appeal hearing on September 8th.

Peculiar.