Recently in Unemployment Category

It's the day after the election and Texans are no doubt asking what President Barack Obama's second term could mean for jobs and unemployment.

Let's talk about that, shall we?

On Tuesday, President Obama was elected to a second term in office. This was no Bush v. Gore election, where the results were kinda-sorta-iffy. No, this was the real deal, where the outcome was clear and clean.

One hot topic on the campaign trail is unemployment. Some Democrats are trying to paint a rosy picture regarding unemployment figures, while some Republicans are looking for ammunition to use against public assistance.

But critics on both sides may have a mutual point of contention as it relates to unemployment benefits: Thousands of American millionaires are receiving unemployment benefits, reports The Huffington Post.

We talk a lot about employment discrimination on this blog. It’s pretty much the bread and butter of the employment attorney’s repertoire. Most of the lawsuits stem from the conduct of employers to people who are already employed. However, did you know job applicants also have protections?

How many of the thousands of job ads that you’ve reviewed refer to “seasoned” employees or “recent grads only.” How many ads for “salesman” have you seen?

Although these are all subtle phrases, likely not meant to be discriminatory, if an employer is limiting its job search based on restricted characteristics, such as age, gender, race, or disability, they may be violating your rights even if you are not an employee.

You just lost your job. For many, this can be the most stressful thing you’ll ever endure. Job searching, in this economy, can take months and sometimes even years. In the meantime, if you are eligible, you can seek unemployment benefits to tide you over.

Unemployment benefits are available to those who are out of work though no fault of their own. Examples of applicable situaitons are those who were laid off, had their hours cut, were fired without work related misconduct (such as violations of law or company policy), or quit for good reason, such as unsafe working conditions or not being paid.

The Texas drought has wracked the state's agricultural industry and cost the economy billions, reports the Austin Statesman.

Texas A&M University estimates that the total economic impact of the severe Texas drought will be $8.7 billion. And the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture reports that 96 percent of Texas pastureland is in poor or very poor condition.

The unemployment numbers are now in for May 2011, with Texas Workforce Commission data revealing that the Houston metro area has an unemployment rate of 8.2 percent. This is slightly higher that the state’s unemployment rate of 8.0 percent, but at least it is far below the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.

Houston Chronicle reports that the local unemployment rate for May increased slightly from April’s 8 percent rate of unemployment. However, it should be noted that the Texas jobless rates are adjusted for seasonal variations, such as holiday and school schedules. The reported Houston jobless rate is not seasonally adjusted.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including rates of employment and job growth. According to a Texas Workforce Commission press release, the state added 37,200 new jobs to the workforce in March, dropping the statewide unemployment rate down to 8.1 percent.

This is significantly lower than the national average unemployment rate in March, which was sitting at 8.8 percent for that month. The Houston metro area reportedly has an unemployment rate slightly above the state average at 8.3 percent, but this isn’t too worrisome because job growth in the region is clearly improving.

If you’re unemployed and actively looking for a job, then you may want to consider picking up an application at McDonald’s. According to CNN Money, the company is planning a one-day hiring spree, with the fast-food chain stating that they plan to add 50,000 new employees to its workforce on April 19.

While most people probably don’t see McDonald’s as the most desirable employer to work for, the company brags that McDonald’s offers medical benefits, opportunities for advancement, and flexible working hours. The new jobs being offered are also not all just over-the-counter positions, but management positions as well. It might not be a bad idea to see what’s specifically being offered.

Landing a summer job this year could be easier than it was last year with CNN Money reporting that 55 percent of hiring managers say that they plan to hire seasonal workers over the summer season. Ten percent of the hiring managers surveyed said that they would be hiring more seasonal staff than last summer.

The other good news is that Houston summer employees could also be better paid with the improving economy and trend of increasing wages, as there are a number of indicators that employers will be able to pay workers more money this year. This includes the fact that more hiring managers are saying that they plan to pay their employees higher wages over the summer.

Texas Workforce Commission data indicates that the unemployment rate in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area was at 8.8 percent in the month of January, which is significantly higher than the state's unemployment average of 8.3 percent for that same month.

Perhaps Houston residents will have greater difficulties finding jobs compared to other people in the state. Yet The Houston Business Journal reports that the state of Texas has generally gained jobs so far in the year 2011. The largest state employment increase in January was in the trade, transportation and utilities category, which added 15,800 jobs to the workforce for the month.