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January 9, 2012
The Numbers: Unemployment, Mortgage Applications, Pending Home Sales

CHICAGO — Helping to ring in a better new year are the Federal Reserve Board, the nation’s unemployment numbers and job growth, mortgage applications, and pending home sales.

ALL BUT ONE OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE DISTRICTS reported an increase in economic activity in a report filed Nov. 30. The districts saw a slow to moderate upward trend in consumer spending, with the strongest upticks occurring in vehicle sales and tourism dollars. Manufacturing activity and overall bank lending also increased slightly.

THE NOVEMBER JOBLESS RATE was down to 8.6%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, with an estimated 120,000 jobs added—that’s the fifth month in a row to post 100,000 or more new jobs, a first since April 2006. However, a downswing in wages slightly offset that good news.

The department reports a decrease in the weekly seasonally adjusted unemployment claims in the week ending Dec. 3, as the number went to 381,000 from the previous week’s revised number of 404,000.

October 24, 2011
The Numbers: September Produces Improvements in Job Growth, Unemployment Claims

CHICAGO — Both U.S. job growth and unemployment claims experienced slight improvements in September.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis reported on the September job growth, saying, “Non-farm payroll employment added 137,000 private-sector jobs, exceeding expectations, and total non-farm payroll jobs grew by 103,000. Additionally, the reported July and August jobs numbers were revised significantly upward, meaning that we added 99,000 more jobs during those two months than previously was reported. The unemployment rate remained at 9.1%.”

Solis added that 2.6 million jobs have been created over 19 consecutive months of private-sector growth.

Her department also reported that for the week ending Sept. 24, initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased by 37,000, to a seasonally adjusted total of 391,000. The number is the lowest since the beginning of April. The four-week average dropped as well, the first time in six weeks, to 417,000.

June 23, 2011
Zoots Teams with Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless

BROCKTON, Mass. — Zoots Corp., a division of US Dry Cleaning Services Corp., is giving abandoned garments to Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless (PVH), an organization that has been serving the homeless in Portsmouth, Va., since 1991.

The purpose of the donation is to give individuals the opportunity to wear appropriate clothing on job interviews. In addition, David Hay, Zoots regional manager, will offer training in proper interview techniques to those wanting such assistance.

August 27, 2010
Keeping The Workplace Safe, Part 2

CHICAGO — In all my years in business, I’ve only fired one person. Usually, I let problem employees dig their own holes, and they fade off into history. Documentation is the key to blocking an unemployment claim—or so I thought.

I’m not saying that documentation doesn’t work, but I am saying that whoever works in the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) offices is giving out benefits regardless of documentation. Perhaps they are being more lenient because the economy is weak, but it isn’t helping my business.

August 13, 2010
Keeping The Workplace Safe, Part 1

CHICAGO — Workplace violence is far too common; it seems like there’s a news report about a shooting rampage daily. Someone often knows about the killer’s emotional problems or violent tendencies, but does nothing. Are people afraid to get involved? Is society reluctant to profile those who might be a threat to others for the sake of individual rights?

August 1, 2007
DOL Releases New Minimum Wage Poster

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released a revised Federal minimum wage poster to reflect the recently enacted increases to the minimum wage. The poster can be viewed, downloaded and printed from its website, www.dol.gov.

February 7, 2007
Senate Passes Minimum-Wage Increase

The U.S. Senate voted 94-3 last week to increase the federal minimum wage, adding $8 billion in tax breaks for small businesses to a House version of the bill. If passed, the legislation will raise the federal minimum wage more than $2 over the next two years to $7.25 per hour.