Employment News Oct. 25-29

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News
FRIDAY
Job losses fell disproportionately
A number of industries in New York state, including financial services, terminated at least five percent of their workers in the current recession, which has fallen harder on men, minorities, and those without college degrees.
How Washington could create jobs
Congress has the means to spur job growth, economists say, if it can find the will.

THURSDAY
Weekly Jobless Claims Drop Sharply to 434,000
"Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, the second drop in a row and a hopeful sign the job market could be improving. Initial claims for jobless benefits dropped by 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 434,000 in the week that ended Oct. 23.

WEDNESDAY
In US, a job means less than it used to
Rather than making jobs more important, the recession is causing workers to put more emphasis on home and family, a new study finds.
India's IT aims to soften image as Obama visits
U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to India puts the spotlight on its $60 billion IT sector, which argues it is a creator of jobs in the United States and should not be blamed for high unemployment.

TUESDAY
Ford to bring 1,200 jobs to Michigan
Ford Motor company said it will create up to 1,200 jobs in the distressed state of Michigan as it ramps up its engineering and manufacturing operations to produce more fuel-efficient cars.

MONDAY
Hiring picture gets a little brighter
The outlook for hiring is improving as U.S. businesses continue to report growing demand and increased profitability, according to a survey of leading economists.
Target, Toys R Us, other retailers boost jobs for holidays
Holiday retail sales are expected to be up only slightly this year, but the news may be better for those looking to work in retailing around Christmas.
Unemployment rate drops in 23 states in September
Unemployment fell in 23 states and Washington, D.C., rose in 11 states and was unchanged in 16 during September, the Labor Department said Friday. The declines were nearly double the number reported by states in the previous month.

Economists Comments
WEDNESDAY
Shipping Out Jobs
With unemployment still stubbornly high, Americans are rightly worried about the economy. And politicians of both parties — from President Obama on down — have seized on US multinational companies as a convenient scapegoat
The Number One Reason Americans Don't Take Farm Jobs
Why a booming farm economy isn't enough to lure Americans to the fields.
Where the New Jobs Are
In Texas, not California.

TUESDAY
Job seekers may want to do a credit check before an employer does
Reports that employers are increasingly checking job applicants' credit records only add to job seekers' angst. Thirteen percent of companies conduct credit checks on all job applicants, and nearly half consider credit history for certain jobs, such as employees with financial responsibilities and senior executives, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
The going gets tougher
If President Barack Obama and the Democrats want to know why they are still struggling politically this fall, they need look no further than Friday’s latest dismal jobs report from the Labor Department.

Blogs
FRIDAY
Housing Bust impacting Manager Mobility
It is tough to move when you can't sell your home. Sometimes the new employer will pick up the short fall for key executives and managers, but it is probably too expensive in many cases now.

THURSDAY
Moody’s: Companies Reluctant to Spend on Expansion, Hiring
Nonfinancial companies in the U.S. had about $943 billion of cash on hand as of mid-year, but they aren’t likely to spend it on expansion and hiring due to lingering economic uncertainty, Moody’s Investors Service said Wednesday following a study of corporate cash piles.
Secondary Sources: Jobless Recovery, U.K. Austerity, Negative Rates
A roundup of economic news from around the Web.

TUESDAY
Dear Government Unions: We’re Not Making This Up
We were a little taken aback the other day when Joe Davidson’s “Federal Diary” column in The Washington Post quoted a top White House appointee and two union leaders attacking our research findings that federal workers get paid more than private sector counterparts as “lies,” “misinformation” and — oh my — “scapegoating.”
Unions Do Fire Some People After All
Unions have become famous — or infamous — for fighting against layoffs for any reason. Teachers unions have made it next to impossible to fire bad teachers. The union movement went ballistic when D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee laid off teachers who performed poorly in the classroom.

MONDAY
Business Conditions Improve, Boosting Hiring Hopes
U.S. business conditions improved in the third quarter compared to the April-June period amid higher profits and increased sales abroad, according to a survey of business economists.

Reports
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