Up and Down at the Same Time
One of the challenges at the beginning of any economic recovery is reading mixed indicators. One sector of the economy will perk up while another sector takes a downturn. Moreover, most areas of the economy remain stagnant. The average consumer is confused, and investors [...]
Unemployment rate not improving
New statistics on the U.S. unemployment rate were released today, and things haven’t been worse for 26 years. The October unemployment rate was 10.2 percent, more than double normal levels. It’s also the highest unemployment rate the country has seen since 1983, when it hit 10.5 percent.
I [...]
Unemployment benefits extended 13 weeks
The unemployment extension, passed November 5, 2009, was included in a bill with the homebuyer tax credit, and now millions of Americans can continue to collect benefits. The homebuyer tax credit was extended to 2010 in April. The unemployment extension means workers whose unemployment insurance was [...]
Federal minimum wage 2009
Since July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour. That means in every state in the United States, employers must pay workers at least $7.25 per hour. In Washington, D.C., it means employers must pay $8.25 per hour because the law there dictates [...]
Microsoft Layoffs Continues
In January 2009, for the first time in its history, Microsoft Corp. announced it would cut some 5,000 jobs over the year as the company witnessed a drastic decline in revenue. The company suffered an 11 percent drop in profit, leaving many Microsoft workers unemployed and in need [...]
Retirement funding
Many consumers are worried about debt relief as they reach retirement age. With news of Social Security and Medicare being tapped out within the next few decades, Americans are looking for other options to retire in comfort. Fortunately, there are some jobs that still focus on pension plan guarantees. [...]
Layoffs
Many businesses are looking to layoffs as a method of finding debt relief, but research is showing that this knee-jerk reaction to the economy isn’t always a good option. Peter Cappelli, director of the Center for Human Resources at Wharton School, stated, “It’s hard to save money if the jobs [...]
Microsoft layoffs go the extra mile
Microsoft confirmed that it’s laying off 800 more employees today. Along with that announcement come a couple of fun facts: not only are they ahead of their June 2010 deadline, they are ahead on numbers of people they planned to lay off!
So I guess laying [...]
Coping with Unemployment
Millions of people around the world have fallen victim to the current recession. Business houses with international reputations have filed for bankruptcy and employees who were confident of their job security have been dismissed. While the experience of unemployment is common, the reactions of the unemployed vary widely. [...]
A long wait lies ahead
The ridiculously high national unemployment rate (9.8 percent) has convinced Congress to consider a bill that would allow people to collect unemployment for an additional 13 weeks. However, an unemployment extension of three months might not be long enough for many people.
CNN Money reports that the [...]
Unemployment extension vote to come
The unemployment extension vote that took place Tuesday cleared the way for the unemployment extension bill to make its way through Congress. The House has passed the bill, which would allow unemployed workers to collect benefits for an additional 13 weeks beyond what is already allotted.
Originally, [...]
Everyone’s looking for Vevo jobs
Google has long been on the short list of high-earning companies who still continue to reap huge profits during the recession. So it’s no surprise that whenever Google is involved in a new venture, many people get the same idea: “I want to work for them!”
Google’s [...]
Work: A welcome return
I met up with my son this afternoon and I was delighted to see him smiling and looking very relaxed. “What’s going on?” I asked, thinking maybe he’d just gotten a cash advance loan. “Cars are pouring in,” he said. “Don’t ask me why or where from; [...]
The stimulus plan and debt
Analysts and political pundits are watching closely to see how the economic stimulus package affects consumer debt relief and the unemployment rate. The $767 billion stimulus plan Obama unveiled promised to do a lot of good for the struggling economy.
One of the main pledges was [...]
Minneapolis Fed gets new head
After 24 years on the job, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Gary Stern retired last month. Today it was announced that Narayana Kocherlakota will be his replacement, taking over the position immediately. He will become a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee in [...]
5 Tips for Writing a Great Cover Letter
I hate to say it, but if you are trying to get a job right now, you are up against stiff competition. Although the economy has shown signs of improvement, unemployment is stable at best and in many states increasing. It is definitely [...]
ID theft and misplaced funds checker EPPICard’s record
When you’re unemployed, your unemployment check each week is a real life-saver. Sure, most of us aren’t that far removed from living on the street if our jobs ceased to exist. That’s a disturbing reality that many Americans face in a system that [...]
Another round of Gannett layoffs coming
After several large rounds of layoffs in the past couple of years, Gannett layoffs will continue. The nation’s largest newspaper company will eliminate up to 4,500 jobs sometime in the next few days, reports the Wall Street Journal. However, the number of layoffs has been reported by [...]
Vibe Magazine to notify staff today
Music-centered publication Vibe Magazine has announced it will cease publication and close down immediately. The publication, like most other U.S. publications, has seen its advertising revenue fall.
A spokeswoman for Vibe Magazine said the staff would be informed of the closure today. Vibe Magazine was one [...]