BUSINESS
November 20, 2010 | By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times
The state's struggling labor market showed signs of life in October, adding 39,000 jobs in the biggest employment increase since May 2006. The gains were widespread, with employers adding positions in nearly every sector of the economy. But it wasn't enough to make a dent in California's unemployment rate, which remained at 12.4%, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. Still, the performance was a major improvement over September, when payrolls declined by 53,600 jobs.
BUSINESS
September 18, 2010 | By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times
California's deeply troubled labor market took another hit in August as employers laid off more workers than expected, renewing fears that the state's economic recovery has stalled. Employers cut 33,500 jobs, marking the third straight month of losses and pushing the state's unemployment rate to 12.4%, up from 12.3% in July, according to data released Friday by the Employment Development Department. California has lost 113,100 jobs since August 2009. Last month's losses were widespread, hitting almost all sectors, including construction, manufacturing, financial services, leisure and hospitality, trade, transportation and utilities.
BUSINESS
September 7, 2010 | By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times
Asian Americans typically have the lowest unemployment rate of any ethnic group in the United States. But in this weak labor market, once they lose their jobs, they have an especially hard time reentering the labor force, data show. In July, nearly half of all jobless Asian Americans in California had been out of work for 27 weeks or longer, compared with 40% of Latinos and 42% of whites, according to an analysis of data from the state Employment Development Department. Experts said the strong family and cultural ties that bind Asian entrepreneurs and a largely foreign-born Asian workforce can be a liability during tough times; laid-off workers often aren't sure where to turn for work outside their ethnic circles.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2010 | By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times
California employers added jobs for the fourth straight month in April as the state's sluggish labor market continued to show signs of life. Payrolls increased by 14,200 in April, bringing the total number of jobs added this year to 56,400, according to the state Employment Development Department. Despite the gains, however, California companies still employ 1.3 million fewer people than they did when employment peaked in July of 2007. "It's certainly nothing to write home about, but it is fair to say we are growing again," said Stephen Levy, director of the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy.
BUSINESS
April 30, 2010 | Alana Semuels
Karl Schafer says he has tried for hundreds of jobs since he was laid off from a truck factory more than two years ago. Still waiting to get hired, the 52-year-old Ohio man has suffered the indignity of applying for food stamps and asking his elderly mother for help. Weary of her own job search, former customer service representative Wagma Omar, 40, of Mission Viejo is thinking about applying for a dangerous civilian job in Afghanistan. And in California's wine country, Kay Stephens, 56, is frantically looking to cut her living expenses so her unemployment doesn't become a burden to her 30-year-old daughter.
BUSINESS
March 27, 2010 | By Marc Lifsher
California's unemployment rate in February held steady at 12.5% for a second straight month, indicating that the state's economy may be leveling off and could turn upward by late spring. But economists warned that even sizable jumps in key activities, such as retail sales, international trade and orders for big-ticket manufactured goods, probably wouldn't lead to a big drop in jobless figures this year. One sign supporting that forecast came in the state Employment Development Department report released Friday.