Employment News Dec. 20 - 23

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News
THURSDAY
Jobless Claims in U.S. Decreased to 420,000 Last Week
Initial U.S. jobless claims fell last week and the number of people on unemployment benefit rolls dropped to a two-year low, reinforcing evidence the labor market is improving.
How states fared on jobless benefits, at a glance
Here are the states with the largest changes in unemployment applications, and some of the reasons, at a glance:

TUESDAY
Unemployed get another jobless benefit _ free yoga
With national unemployment just below 10 percent, $20 yoga classes don't qualify as necessities for many out-of-work people who've pruned luxuries from their budgets. So in a gesture that's part send-good-vibes-to-the-universe and part community outreach, a handful of yoga studios have decided to cut the unemployed a break.
1 in 7 Americans rely on food stamps
The use of food stamps has increased dramatically in the U.S., as the federal government ramps up basic assistance to meet the demands of an increasingly desperate population.

MONDAY
Jobless benefits are extended - but hold the applause
Millions of jobless Americans are no doubt cheering the tax cut deal that President Obama signed into law Friday.
How many people get renewed jobless aid, by state
The tax-cut legislation President Barack Obama signed into law Friday restores emergency unemployment benefit programs for millions of Americans. The long-term unemployed can now receive a maximum of 60 to 99 weeks of benefits, depending on their state. But the new law doesn't lengthen anyone's unemployment benefits beyond the 60 to 99 weeks.

Economists Comments
THURSDAY
New Year's resolution: I quit!
Employers watch out: Your workers can't wait to quit. According to a recent survey by job-placement firm Manpower, 84% of employees plan to look for a new position in 2011. That's up from just 60% last year.

WEDNESDAY
Does population slowdown = unemployment slowdown?
Late last year, Goldman Sachs said in a note that ""it will probably take at least 100,000 jobs per month just to hold the unemployment rate constant. New census figures show a 9.7% growth rate, compared to the 13.2% mark reported ten years earlier. In fact, it's the slowest growth rate since 1940. This led me to wonder if that 100,000 per month figure will get revised downward. After all, overall population growth rates must have been a central part of the original calculation.
Are social media jobs here to stay?
The demand for social media jobs has exploded, even as overall unemployment heads in the opposite direction. But in a fledgling field surrounded by hype, some industry insiders are saying it may be too good to last.

Blogs
THURSDAY
Environmentalists New Plan Same as Old Plan: Higher Energy Costs, Fewer Jobs
Our national unemployment rate is 9.8% and the Sierra Club is investing their resources in blocking new power plan construction. The Sierra Club is blocking not only the jobs needed to build power plants, but they are also ensuring hiring energy costs for the entire economy.

MONDAY
Temporary employment
This year, 26.2 percent of all jobs added by private sector employers were temporary positions. In the comparable period after the recession of the early 1990s, only 10.9 percent of the private sector jobs added were temporary, and after the downturn earlier this decade, just 7.1 percent were temporary.

Reports
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