Employment News Feb. 14 - 18

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News
THURSDAY
How states fared on unemployment applications
More people applied for unemployment benefits last week after applications had dropped to the lowest level in nearly three years in the previous week. That improvement had reflected the fact government offices had been closed the previous week in many states because of severe winter weather, preventing people from applying for benefits.
Jobless claims tick back above 400,000
The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits edged up last week, the government said Thursday.
Democrats turn 'Where are the jobs?' chant on GOP
Republicans won sweeping victories last November by taunting Democrats with "Where are the jobs?" Democrats are now throwing those taunts back, saying it's Republicans who will knock thousands of Americans out of work with their demands for deep cuts in federal spending.
Female veterans struggle in jobs market
The unemployment rate for female veterans of the long-running wars in Iraq and Afghanistan rose to 13.5% in January, above the 8.4% that was the seasonally unadjusted average for non-veteran adult women. And while the overall unemployment rate declined last year, unemployment among female veterans of the latest wars was more than 3 percentage points higher in December 2010 than in December 2009.

WEDNESDAY
Calif gov. freezes hiring, drops minimum wage suit
Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday ordered a state government hiring freeze amid California's $26.6 billion fiscal crisis, hours after he dropped a lawsuit filed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over whether the governor has the authority to pay state workers minimum wage.
Rising Employment No Rebound for Inflation as Wages Affirm Bernanke Stance
The improvement in the unemployment rate to 9 percent in January from a two-decade peak of 10.1 percent in October 2009 masks a new reality: Many of the jobs people are taking as the economy rebounds offer lower pay, fewer hours and worse benefits than some of the 8.75 million positions that disappeared because of the recession, according to Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics Ltd. in Toronto.
Congress plays chicken over paying for 1099 fix
There's one legislative issue lawmakers on both sides of the aisle overwhelmingly agree on: The onerous 1099 tax-reporting mandate that snuck into the health-care reform bill has to be repealed.

TUESDAY
Home Depot to hire 60,000 seasonal workers
Home Depot said Tuesday that it will hire more than 60,000 seasonal workers in anticipation of a springtime rush for home improvement supplies.
How best to boost the 'working poor'?
Nearly 1 in 3 working families now qualify as 'working poor.' More affordable college – and a more progressive tax system – would help.
US economy's hidden asset: older workers
Far from being a drag on the economy, so-called gray labor will be key to America's competitiveness in coming years. Mature workers can bring major productivity gains to US businesses – if we can make changes to better tap their talent.

MONDAY
Women's share of jobs slipping
Once poised to become a majority of the workforce, women haven't found as many jobs as men during the recovery. But some signs point to an eventual rebound.

Economist Comments
MONDAY
The U.S.' Biggest Brain Magnets
College graduates are heading in droves to Raleigh, Austin and, surprisingly, New Orleans.
Obamacare’s casualties: 800,000 jobs
Unemployment will rise if health care takeover isn’t stopped

Blogs
MONDAY
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
In this article, Allen Sanderson, who teaches introductory economics at the University of Chicago (using my favorite textbook, of course), takes on the political rhetoric about job creation.
Study: Strict Derivatives Regulation Could Cost 130,000 Jobs
Upwards of 130,000 jobs could be lost if U.S. regulators impose new restrictions on derivatives transactions too broadly, according to a study to be released Monday.
Correlating the Price of Gas and the Unemployment Rate
We were intrigued by a chart Robert Zubrin posted illustrating that spikes in the inflation-adjusted price of oil have often preceded changes in the U.S. unemployment rate. So much so that we wondered if a similar pattern might emerge if we substituted the average price of gasoline at the pump instead.
SF Fed: What Is the New Normal Unemployment Rate?
An economic letter from Justin Weidner and John Williams at the SF Fed: What Is the New Normal Unemployment Rate?

Reports
TUESDAY
The Myth of Green Energy Jobs:The European Experience
With $2.3 billion in Recovery Act tax credits allocated for green manufacturers, President Barack Obama and other Democratic politicians have high hopes for green technology. But their expectations clash with both economic theory and practical experience in Europe. Green programs in Spain destroyed 2.2 jobs for every green job created, while the capital needed for one green job in Italy could create almost five jobs in the general economy. Wind and solar power have raised household energy prices by 7.5 percent in Germany, and Denmark has the highest electricity prices in the European Union. Central planners in the United States trying to promote green industry will fare no better at creating jobs or stimulating the economy.