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America's varied responses to unemployment in 2010
Date: 01/18/2010
By: Jackie Becker
By: Jackie Becker
For over a year now, Americans have heard the warning that one can never predict the severity or length of a recession until the economy has affirmatively pulled out of it. As analysts review promising data concerning job creation in January, many remain cautious in their projections. Across the country, various states and organizations have developed their own unique ways to help suppress the consistently high unemployment rate as they temper their expectations.
In Colorado, market analysts noted several impediments to job growth during 2010, but cited specific industries and areas around the state which are better suited than others.
Tucker Hart Adams, the president of the Colorado Springs consulting firm the Adams Group, told iStockAnalyst, "I guess the good news is we're starting the new year in a pretty deep hole. So maybe it can only get better."
She added, "I don't see any single sector that's going to just come screaming out and lead the way." However, Adams indicated that the health and human services industry is primed for growth because of the aging Baby Boomer population in the state.
Additionally, employers in the Boulder-area are expected to add more jobs during the first quarter of the 2010 than companies in other regions, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
The report revealed that 15 percent of Boulder-area businesses surveyed plan to hire more employees in the coming months, compared to 12 percent of area companies who reported having hiring expectations during the fourth quarter of 2009.
Almost 70 percent of local businesses said they expected to maintain their current employment levels during the year, compared to 73 percent nationally.
Texas lawmakers continues battle
In other regions, government agencies are continuing to approve incentive-laden programs to get more state residents into the workforce.
Last week, Texas lawmakers introduced the Texas Back to Work initiative, a $15 million program created by the Texas Workforce Commission which encourages employers to take on more out-of-work citizens, the Houston Business Journal reports.
Specifically, the program offers subsidized-wage reimbursement and retention bonuses among the incentives for hiring qualified out-of-work Texans. Through the initiative, employers could receive up to $1,500 in wage retention bonuses if they retain a formerly unemployed worker for at least 120 days.
Strength in numbers
While the success of government policies and programs to spur job growth has been debated, some concerned parties have turned to a new method of assisting unemployed Americans as they navigate the job market.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers today launched a community service program which intends to mobilize and support unemployed workers and help them cope with the stress and pressure of being jobless.
The new program, dubbed UCubed, will be in the format of an online community, which organizers hope visitors will use to create a supportive network in a particular geographic region, which may gain political influence.
"We hope that UCubed will provide a measure of relief and an end to the isolation, frustration and depression that so many unemployed workers experience, said IAM president Tom Buffenbarger.
The website links visitors to contact information for local, state and federal lawmakers, urging the network of unemployed individuals to directly call for legislation such as unemployment benefit extensions, more food stamps and a longer term for COBRA benefits.
Currently, analysts cannot agree whether the nation has faced transitory gains in the last month, or if the economy has actually started pulling out of the recession.
Although the national unemployment rate dropped to 10 percent during November 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. businesses cut approximately 85,000 jobs during December, despite predictions for another month of gains.
In Colorado, market analysts noted several impediments to job growth during 2010, but cited specific industries and areas around the state which are better suited than others.
Tucker Hart Adams, the president of the Colorado Springs consulting firm the Adams Group, told iStockAnalyst, "I guess the good news is we're starting the new year in a pretty deep hole. So maybe it can only get better."
She added, "I don't see any single sector that's going to just come screaming out and lead the way." However, Adams indicated that the health and human services industry is primed for growth because of the aging Baby Boomer population in the state.
Additionally, employers in the Boulder-area are expected to add more jobs during the first quarter of the 2010 than companies in other regions, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
The report revealed that 15 percent of Boulder-area businesses surveyed plan to hire more employees in the coming months, compared to 12 percent of area companies who reported having hiring expectations during the fourth quarter of 2009.
Almost 70 percent of local businesses said they expected to maintain their current employment levels during the year, compared to 73 percent nationally.
Texas lawmakers continues battle
In other regions, government agencies are continuing to approve incentive-laden programs to get more state residents into the workforce.
Last week, Texas lawmakers introduced the Texas Back to Work initiative, a $15 million program created by the Texas Workforce Commission which encourages employers to take on more out-of-work citizens, the Houston Business Journal reports.
Specifically, the program offers subsidized-wage reimbursement and retention bonuses among the incentives for hiring qualified out-of-work Texans. Through the initiative, employers could receive up to $1,500 in wage retention bonuses if they retain a formerly unemployed worker for at least 120 days.
Strength in numbers
While the success of government policies and programs to spur job growth has been debated, some concerned parties have turned to a new method of assisting unemployed Americans as they navigate the job market.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers today launched a community service program which intends to mobilize and support unemployed workers and help them cope with the stress and pressure of being jobless.
The new program, dubbed UCubed, will be in the format of an online community, which organizers hope visitors will use to create a supportive network in a particular geographic region, which may gain political influence.
"We hope that UCubed will provide a measure of relief and an end to the isolation, frustration and depression that so many unemployed workers experience, said IAM president Tom Buffenbarger.
The website links visitors to contact information for local, state and federal lawmakers, urging the network of unemployed individuals to directly call for legislation such as unemployment benefit extensions, more food stamps and a longer term for COBRA benefits.
Currently, analysts cannot agree whether the nation has faced transitory gains in the last month, or if the economy has actually started pulling out of the recession.
Although the national unemployment rate dropped to 10 percent during November 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. businesses cut approximately 85,000 jobs during December, despite predictions for another month of gains.
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