Topic: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Top galleries, list articles, quizzes

2012's 'good news' stories

2012 saw jobs returning to the US, health concerns improve in historic numbers, and more.
Top 4 New Year's resolutions for your pocketbook

It’s resolution season, and with the continued economic recovery significant opportunity exists to improve your finances in the coming year. The question is how. Here are the four most important financial New Year’s resolutions that consumers can make:
Gender pay gap: Top 5 best and worst states

The pay gap between men and women has steadily narrowed during the past few decades. Women earned 77 cents for every dollar men earned in 2011, compared with 59 cents in 1963. Here is a look at states with biggest and smallest gender pay gaps today.
Top 10 metros for job growth

Some metropolitan areas have a booming jobs market, thanks to energy, manufacturing, or sometimes just the right mix of highly diversified industries. Here's a look at the 10 metros that have seen the largest percentage increase in jobs over the past 12 months:
Jobs report: 3 views on the best way to create jobs in the US

The Labor Department reported Friday that the economy added 171,000 jobs in October, while unemployment rose to 7.9 percent. As the eighth and final installment of our One Minute Debate series for election 2012, three writers give their brief take on the best way to create jobs in the United States.

All Content

Energy Voices Want a green job? Here's who's hiring in wind energy, solar

Wind energy, environmental consulting, biotechnology, and solar power were some of the fastest-growing industries in 2011, according to OilPrice.com. Which companies are doing the most hiring this year?
Paper Economy Mass layoffs decline in August

The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed a fall in mass layoffs in August. A mass layoff is when at least fifty initial claims for unemployment insurance originate from a single employer over a period of five consecutive weeks.
Robert Reich Don't count Romney out

Reich offers four reasons why Mitt Romney could still win the election.
Who are the 47 percent? 5 jobs held by people who pay no income tax.

Mitt Romney says 47 percent of Americans don't pay federal income taxes – and he was right. Half of that 47 percent are workers who hold jobs that don't pay enough for them to owe income taxes to Uncle Sam. What kinds of jobs are these?
Energy Voices Recession and jobs: Is energy the driver?

Economic and job growth are closely tied to energy consumption. While jobs can grow faster than energy use when efficiency kicks in, the cost may be lower wages.
Obama's record on job creation: How good or bad?

The question of jobs is central to Election 2012. Mitt Romney claims President Obama has been a failure, while Obama says he's presided over steady growth. Decoder sweeps aside the spin.
Paper Economy Job openings and hires decline in July

Job openings declined 2.06 percent since June, climbing 7.65 percent above the level seen a year ago, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job hires declined 1.68 percent from June but rose 1.73 percent above the level seen in July 2011.
Robert Reich The 'heart of our economic dilemma': getting American consumers to spend again

The middle class isn't spending because the values of their homes have plummeted, they've lost much of their savings, and their wages are dropping. Reich argues that Obama has a way to correct this, or at least not make it worse.
Why have millions of Americans given up looking for work?

The August jobs report sent chills through Wall Street and Washington because of one eye-popping number: 368,000 Americans gave up looking for work. That makes 7 million people not counted as part of the labor force who want a job.
Paper Economy Total unemployment rate drops to 14.7 percent

The total unemployment rate includes both the traditional unemployment rate as well as marginally attached workers. The traditional unemployment rate also decreased in August, down to 8.1 percent.
Behind Empire State shooting: A layoff, a gun, and a targeted ex-boss (+video)

The deadly shooting near the landmark Empire State Building early Friday may be workplace-related, with a laid-off worker apparently targeting his former boss. Such violence is recurring, but it did not escalate after millions lost their jobs during the Great Recession.
Mitt Romney says he pays 13 percent in taxes. How low is that?

Mitt Romney has tried to fend off criticism about how much he has paid in federal taxes. But his 13 percent tax rate during the past 10 years puts him in peculiar company.
Stock market jumps at news that economy added 163,000 jobs in July

Wall Street reacts with glee to higher-then-expected job growth in July, led by the auto sector and restaurants. But for the millions of jobless, the key figure in Friday's report may be the unemployment rate, which ticked up to 8.3 percent.
Focus Public-sector belt-tightening: thrift, or long-term drag on US economy?

Since June 2009, 504,000 jobs have been cut among municipal employees. Public-sector reductions at the local level have subtracted almost a quarter of a percentage point from annual GDP each of the past four years.
The Daily Reckoning On the prowl for insight into economists

The folks over at The Daily Reckoning are on a mission. Their treasure? Insight. Insight into why it is that the smartest economists in the world are so stupid. Incidentally, they hope to understand why the GDP is such a fraudulent measure of prosperity
Keep Calm What's behind the 'outrage' over Chinese-made US Olympics uniforms?

US Sen. Harry Reid (D) of Nevada suggests that Americans pile up the Chinese-made Team USA uniforms and burn them. But how much does China really 'dominate' the US economy?
Cities going broke: Can Scranton's minimum wage plan work? (+video)

A judge told Scranton's mayor he couldn't break the contracts. Pennsylvania told him he couldn't declare bankruptcy. But he didn't have the money to pay more than minimum wage. Unions sued.
Paper Economy On the margins: Calculating the 'total unemployment' rate

There are effectively two unemployment rates, one including all discouraged and underutilized labor, and one a more restricted grouping. The “total” rate of unemployment should include both traditionally unemployed and underutilized workers.
The incredible shrinking pay raise: Wages can't keep up with inflation

Pay raises are getting smaller, but consumer prices continue to rise. If the trend in shrinking worker pay raises continues, it could mean stalled consumer spending and a halt to economic growth.
Saving Money Independence Day: Dining out on July 4? 15 ways to save.

Independence Day or not, dining out doesn't have to cost a fortune. Here are 15 ways to save, from splitting meals to knowing which cuts of steak will give you the best value.
Military veterans to get priority for police jobs under COPS grants

Federal grant program to put more cops on the street emphasizes jobs for military veterans who served after 9/11. Unemployment among recent veterans stood at 12.7 percent in May.
What recovery? Top 10 cities losing jobs

For some regions of the US, talk of an economic recovery is more wishful thinking than reality. Here are the top 10 metropolitan areas that continue to struggle with unemployment, from the Carpet Capital of the World to the home of an Ivy League university.
Decoder Wire Does Mitt Romney want to cut jobs for police, firefighters, and teachers?

A new ad from the Obama reelection campaign charges just that, while Mitt Romney calls the idea 'completely absurd.' They can't both be right.
Cover Story Employment solutions: Can a town’s good deeds lower unemployment?

The dollars and cents of good deeds: Communities with high social capital tend to have lower unemployment. Some seeking employment solutions see this altruistic glue as something to study.
Paper Economy Total unemployment increases slightly

In May, 'total unemployment,' including all marginally attached workers, increased to 14.8 percent, while the traditionally reported unemployment rate increased slightly to 8.2 percent.