28 February 2014

• U.S. Regional and State Unemployment Annual Averages - 2013


In 2013, annual average unemployment rates declined in 43 states and the District of Columbia, rose in 2 states, and were unchanged in 5 states.

Employment-population ratios decreased in 28 states, increased in 17 states and the District of Columbia, and were unchanged in 5 states.

The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.7 percentage point from the prior year to 7.4 percent, and the national employment-population ratio was unchanged at 58.6 percent.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. Gross Domstic Product – Q4 2013


Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 2.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 (that is, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter), according to the "second" estimate. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 4.1 percent.

The GDP estimate released today is based on more complete source data than were available for the "advance" estimate issued last month. In the advance estimate, the increase in real GDP was 3.2 percent. With this second estimate for the fourth quarter, an increase in personal consumption expenditures (PCE) was smaller than previously estimated.

The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from PCE, exports, nonresidential fixed investment, and private inventory investment that were partly offset by negative contributions from federal government spending, residential fixed investment, and state and local government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

The deceleration in real GDP growth in the fourth quarter reflected a deceleration in private inventory investment, a larger decrease in federal government spending, and downturns in residential fixed investment and in state and local government spending that were partly offset by accelerations in exports, in PCE, and in nonresidential fixed investment and a deceleration in imports.

See the complete report at this link: USDOC-BEA


27 February 2014

• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 22 February 2014


In the week ending February 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 334,000.

The 4-week moving average was 338,250, unchanged from the previous week's revised average.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending February 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 8 were in Alaska (6.1), New Jersey (4.2), Rhode Island (4.2), Pennsylvania (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), Illinois (3.8), Montana (3.8), California (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), and West Virginia (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 15 were in California (+5,832), Michigan (+2,129), Oregon (+1,574), Missouri (+1,045), and Nevada (+196), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-7,759), Pennsylvania (-3,677), Wisconsin (-3,227), Illinois (-2,780), and North Carolina (-2,644).

Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


20 February 2014

• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 15 February 2014


In the week ending February 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 336,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 339,000.

The 4-week moving average was 338,500, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 336,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending February 8, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 1 were in Alaska (5.8), Pennsylvania (4.2), Rhode Island (4.0), Connecticut (3.9), New Jersey (3.9), Wisconsin (3.8), California (3.7), Montana (3.7), Illinois (3.6), Puerto Rico (3.5), West Virginia (3.5), and Massachusetts (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 8 were in Georgia (+7,229), North Carolina (+1,347), South Carolina (+1,292), Alabama (+1,191), and California (+1,145), while the largest decreases were in New York (-2,721), Ohio (-2,348), New Jersey (-2,035), Connecticut (-1,149), and New Hampshire (-1,146).

Click on chart to enlarge

Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. Real Average Hourly Earnings Rise 0.1% – January 2014


Real* average hourly earnings rose 0.1 percent in January, seasonally adjusted. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2 percent and the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent.

Real average weekly earnings rose 0.1 percent over the month.

Real average hourly earnings rose 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, from January 2013 to January 2014. The increase in real average hourly earnings, combined with an unchanged average workweek, resulted in a 0.4 percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS

*Note: Real earnings show the effect of inflation on your pay. If your salary went up by 2.1% over the year while the cost-of-living (CPI-U) rose 2.3%, then the “real” value of your salary fell by 0.2% [differences in some of the data are due to rounding and seasonal adjustment]. The figures reported here are earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls, seasonally adjusted.


• U.S. Consumer Price Index Increases 0.1% As Household Energy Costs Rise - January 2014


On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.1 percent in January after rising 0.2 percent in December.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1 percent in January, the same increase as in December.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 1.6 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 233.916 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.6 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 230.040 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 1.4 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the index rose 0.4 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note that the indexes for the post-2012 period are subject to revision.

The Consumer Price Index for February 2014 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


19 February 2014

• U.S. Producer Price Index for Final Demand Rises 0.2%; Goods Increase 0.4%, Services Advance 0.1% - January 2014


The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.2 percent in January. This advance followed a 0.1-percent rise in December and no change in November.

In January, the index for final demand goods rose 0.4 percent and prices for final demand services inched up 0.1 percent.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


13 February 2014

• U.S. Minimum Wage for Federal Contract Workers


”President Obama signed an executive order raising the minimum wage for federal contract workers for all federal contracts beginning on or after January 1, 2015.

”The new minimum wage will be $10.10 per hour, up from $7.25 per hour.”

See the complete report at this link: HR.BLR.com


• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 08 February 2014


In the week ending February 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 331,000. The 4-week moving average was 336,750, an increase of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 333,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending February 1, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 25 were in Alaska (6.4), New Jersey (4.4), Rhode Island (4.1), Connecticut (4.0), Illinois (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Montana (3.7), West Virginia (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), California (3.5), Massachusetts (3.5), and Puerto Rico (3.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 1 were in Wisconsin (+5,041), New York (+4,830), Pennsylvania (+2,448), New Jersey (+1,853), and Ohio (+1,780), while the largest decreases were in California (-9,631), Georgia (-2,558), Indiana (-2,444), Michigan (-2,411), and Florida (-1,387).

Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


12 February 2014

• U.S. Major Labor Strikes, Lockouts - 2013


In 2013, there were 15 major strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 or more workers, down from 19 in 2012.

The 15 major work stoppages beginning in 2013 involved 55,000 workers.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


11 February 2014

• U.S. Job Openings, Hires, & Labor Turnover – December 2013


The number of job openings (not seasonally adjusted) increased over the year for total nonfarm and total private and was little changed for government.

Over the year, the number of job openings increased in mining and logging; nondurable goods manufacturing; wholesale trade; professional and business services; and accommodation and food services.

The job openings level decreased in healthcare and social assistance as well as federal government.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


07 February 2014

• U.S. Employer Health Benefits Costs Rise 3.0 Percent In Year Ending - December 2013


Employer costs for health benefits in private industry increased 3.0 percent from December 2012 to December 2013. In the prior year, the increase was 2.1 percent.

The 12‑month increases in employer costs for health insurance for private industry workers ranged from 2.1 to 3.0 percent in 2012 and 2013. That compares with increases that ranged from 3.4 to 11.4 percent from 2001 to 2011.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. Employment Situation – January 2014


Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 113,000 in January. Both the number of unemployed persons, at 10.2 million, and the unemployment rate, at 6.6 percent, changed little in January. Since October, the jobless rate has decreased by 0.6 percentage point.

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (6.2 percent), adult women (5.9 percent), teenagers (20.7 percent), whites (5.7 percent), blacks (12.1 percent), and Hispanics (8.4 percent) showed little change in January. The jobless rate for Asians was 4.8 percent (not seasonally adjusted), down by 1.7 percentage points over the year.

Employment grew in construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and mining.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


06 February 2014

• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 11 January 2014


In the week ending February 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 331,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 351,000. The 4-week moving average was 334,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 333,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending January 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 18 were in Alaska (5.9), Pennsylvania (4.1), Delaware (4.0), New Jersey (3.9), Illinois (3.7), Montana (3.7), Michigan (3.6), Puerto Rico (3.6), Rhode Island (3.6), and Wisconsin (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 25 were in Indiana (+5,407), Massachusetts (+1,050), and Nebraska (+12), while the largest decreases were in New York (-7,083), Texas (-4,152), Michigan (-3,929), Florida (-3,879), and New Jersey (-3,605).

Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• U.S. Productivity and Labor Costs – Q4 2013


Productivity increased 3.2 percent in the nonfarm business sector in the fourth quarter of 2013; unit labor costs decreased 1.6 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rates).

In manufacturing, productivity increased 2.0 percent and unit labor costs decreased 1.0 percent.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


05 February 2014

• U.S. Major Metropolitan Area Employment – December 2013


Jobless rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 339 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 25, and unchanged in 8.

Nonfarm payroll employment was up in 294 metropolitan areas over the year, down in 67, and unchanged in 11.

See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS


• Educational Attainment in the U.S. - 2013


This provides a portrait of academic achievement by demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, average earnings, and Hispanic origin.

The number of adults who have completed some graduate school, increased 24 percent from 2008 to 2013, from 29 million to 36 million, according to the Educational Attainment in the United Sates 2012 data release.

The report also includes detailed information on years of school completed, showing how many years of education adults have completed for each level of attainment. A variety of historical time series tables going back to 1940 are also provided, as are graphs illustrating historical data.

See the complete report at this link: USDOC – Census


03 February 2014

• “What did employers pay for FLSA violations in 2013?”


”Regional maps provide a closer look”

”Over 35,000 employees contact the Wage & Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) each year--and most of them are seeking assistance with overtime and minimum wage claims against their employer. These 5 regional infographics U.S. maps show FLSA-related enforcement actions throughout the country in 2013.

”Each map lists the city and state of each employer fined, the type of company involved, the specific violation(s) and the amount of money the employer ultimately had to pay.

See the complete report at this link: HR.BLR.com