North Carolina Unemployment: May 27, 2011

The counties of North Carolina continue to heal; we’re lowering our unemployment and getting folks back to work:

RALEIGH — Unemployment rates decreased in 73 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in April. Rates increased
in 10 counties and remained the same in 17.

The good news is that this decrease in the rate is being brought about by adding jobs, not simply reducing the unemployed:

The number of workers employed (not-seasonally adjusted) increased in April by 6,751 to 4,046,255. The number of people unemployed decreased by 10,036. The number of unemployed people in April was 424,502 workers, compared with 434,538 in March.

I hope that the North Carolina congress holds firm on with holding continued unemployment benefits to our state’s unemployed.  We have long since passed the appropriate amount of time that those assistance dollars are required to transition to a new job.  It’s been nearly two years; two years to find a job.

The weekly benefit of those checks is nearly $300.00 a week, certainly not very much.  However, workers have adjusted to that amount by this time and taking a job that pays even $10.00 represents a 33% raise in wages.  Not an insignificant amount.

I hope that North Carolina can continue to lower her tax rates, keep the sales tax at a reasonable rate and bring business into the state.  It’s a good thing to see our unemployment rate fall, but there is much work to be done.

5 responses to “North Carolina Unemployment: May 27, 2011

  1. So where are these multitude of jobs? Only 2,500 or so jobs have been added in NC. The reason the unemployment rate is dropping is because many people have just given up and fallen off the unemployment rolls and are no longer counted. There are 10 applicants for every job. Do YOU have a job to offer me? I’m a veteran and will work my butt off.

    Also, the 90 MILLION or so FEDERAL dollars the state is not paying the unemployed is 90 Million not going into the state economy.

    • So where are these multitude of jobs? Only 2,500 or so jobs have been added in NC.

      From the report above, NC added 6,751 jobs.

      The reason the unemployment rate is dropping is because many people have just given up and fallen off the unemployment rolls and are no longer counted.

      I agree. There are two ways in which the unemployment rate can be reduced; add jobs, remove those who are looking.

      It’s my hope that as the benefits for folks in North Carolina run out, those people will adjust to a new normal and take themselves out of the work force or they will take the jobs that ARE out there.

      Also, the 90 MILLION or so FEDERAL dollars the state is not paying the unemployed is 90 Million not going into the state economy.

      I posted about this here:

      The main point is that incentives matter. And the longer we provide benefits, the longer people will avoid what work is out there.

      I know it’s tough Paul. Thank you for your service, especially on this Holiday weekend, and good luck out there!

  2. About to lose home

    I have been unemployed for 1 year. I have a BS. I have been rejected for every job I have applied for. I can’t sell my home therefore I can’t move to a state that has jobs. I cannot take a job for $10 an hour. I would not be able to pay my bills. I have under 6 weeks left of unemployment and I am now at the point of deciding to pay my mortgage or save that money for deposits on an apt. and moving truck when I lose my home. This is the first time of my 20+ working years of being unemployed. I can’t believe the democrats and republicans are playing politics with this matter. Like the previous poster stated do you have a job to offer me. I was making $27 hour pre lay-off but can now get by on $16-18 hour. However at this new lower pay rate I will not be able to pay into the benefits so I will remain uninsured like I have been this past year. By the way my unemployment is too high to qualify for medicaid.

    Please do tell more of your great solutions to this problem. Because putting 40,000 + people out on their asses is such a great idea. I’d love to hear more.

    • I have been unemployed for 1 year.

      I’m sorry to hear that. I pray best of luck in your continued job search.

      I cannot take a job for $10 an hour. I would not be able to pay my bills.

      My point is that most likely, the recipients of unemployment benefits are bringing home less than a person would make at $100 an hour. The average benefit is like $367.00. So, in essence, the recipient IS making less than 10 bucks an hour.

      I am now at the point of deciding to pay my mortgage or save that money for deposits on an apt. and moving truck when I lose my home.

      Save the money.

      Please do tell more of your great solutions to this problem. Because putting 40,000 + people out on their asses is such a great idea. I’d love to hear more.

      By ending benefits, more folks will have to take a job. I’m sure it’s not the job you used to have and it’s not the job you want. But it’ll be a job. And as more and more people take these jobs, there will be more and more benefits in the economy. Businesses will begin to thrive, they’ll sell more stuff, they’ll expand. Tax revenues will increase.

      All good things.

      Look, none of it will be easy. None of it. But simply handing out money isn’t the answer. And I suspect you know that.

  3. I don’t mean to sound callous over the plight of those unemployed right now. I live in Nevada, and I’ve been there in terms of being broke, poor, unemployed, losing it all, but I have to say the difference is more mental than economical or financial. My suggestion to people is that if they can’t find a job, create one first by going into sales. 100% commission if you have to. Everyone will say you’re nuts, even someone themselves will say they can’t do it, but if someone’s really, truly concerned about changing their situation and having some sort of control over that change, sales is the way to go whether you hate the profession or not.

    EVERY single person I know and have worked with who has come back from the brink (or past it) has done so through some sort of sales. One person sold knives through Cutco, another some MLM product, another started (recently) selling search engine optimization. She had zero experience and made over $10k in her first three weeks. Some made it, some didn’t, but every one that did made it by taking on a 100% commission job. These were people who all thought at one point that they couldn’t do it, or didn’t want to. With respect to the hardships people are going through, how many unemployed currently think the same?

    Here’s the other thing: though: those who didn’t “make it” stayed in it long enough to get training on how to sell themselves not just to a customer, but to a future employer. I work with HR all the time and can tell you that 95% of all people SUCK at interviews. They can’t sell themselves to save their lives. They’re either too arrogant, or too introverted, or too chickenshit. “I’ve put out 1,000 resumes and no one’s hired me!” “I worked in this business for 20 years and no one’s hiring me!” “They all want someone younger and cheaper!” or they say “I’ve got all this experience so hire me.” I hear the same from country to country, state to state. 95% of people go in with the attitude that they deserve a job, that they’re somehow entitled to one or are owed it based on how hard they’ve suffered. Or, they quickly move on after being told the company’s not hiring right now. It’s all b.s..

    Others go in instead and win the job. They make me, and these employers, believe that if we don’t hire this person right now, our competition is going to get them, or we’ll be wasting money on another candidate. We’ll say, “We’re not hiring right now” and they still find a way to get us to make an exception. In short, they make us want to buy, not passively wait until we do and hope their number comes up. Even the receptionists that get hired have EXCEPTIONAL sales skills – empathy, understanding, and persuasion – and those skills have no age, education, experience, or race restrictions whatsoever. No matter how broke someone is, sales skills can always be there to earn someone money as long as they’re serious to go out and make it happen. Just a suggestion.

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