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Unemployment News

Unemployment claims at 4-year low; economic index jumps(3/22/2012)
Leading indicators are designed to anticipate economic conditions three to six months out. The index's steady rise has coincided with other data that suggest the recovery is picking up.

Jobless figures holding steady in region(3/21/2012)
January employment numbers, the latest data reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and released Tuesday, show the northwestern counties are holding steady and, in most cases, showing improvement.

Pennsylvania's Employment Situation for January 2012 (3/20/2012)
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in January, down from 7.7 percent in December 2011

Jobless numbers fell in January (3/16/2012)
Unemployment in the seven-county Pittsburgh region was down to 6.8 percent in January 2012.

Economy adds 227,000 jobs in February (3/9/2012)
U.S. employers added 227,000 jobs in February to complete three of the best months of hiring since before the recession, which started in 2007 and ended in 2009. The unemployment rate was unchanged, largely because more people streamed into the work force.

Jobs top priority, Pennsylvania official tells locals (3/9/2012)
In a time of tight money, the Pennsylvanian overseeing community and economic development projects in the state told a business-oriented audience Thursday in Franklin that communities will be successful only if they "get together and work strategically."

Taxes are tough surprise for jobless (3/6/2012)
As if being unemployed were not bad enough, many people who were out of work for all or part of 2011 are discovering they may face even more challenges when it comes to filing an annual tax return.

Erie region sees recovery, reasons for optimism (3/4/2012)
In Erie, 2011 was the story of GE Transportation's hiring 1,300 workers as the Lawrence Park Township. But the story of the Erie economy is also the story of Sara Morris, a 25-year-old woman struggling to get back on track while being saddled with $80,000 in college debt.

Erie jobs go unfilled as employers look for qualified workers (3/4/2012)
Erie newcomer Dawn Miller says two months of job-hunting have put her optimism on ice. Rob Smith has a different problem. The Crawford County business owner has openings for 15 qualified machinists he can't find.

Pennsylvania January Unemployment Rate Essentially (3/2/2012)
Pennsylvania saw net loss of 9,000 jobs - Friday, March 02, 2012 - Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry reported Thursday that the state unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.6 percent in January from the revised 7.7 percent rate in December.

Gradual economic recovery belies personal realities (2/28/2012)
There are 1.8 million people in Pennsylvania so short of cash that they qualify for food stamps. That translates to 14.4 percent of the state's population receiving at least part of their food budget from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Venego-Clarion-Forest County Region holds own in jobs front (2/22/2012)
The three counties boast a civilian labor force of about 48,900 residents. The most recent report showed Venango County had a 7.2 percent jobless rate in December while Clarion and Forest counties each listed an 8.4 percent unemployment level. All were lower than the 8.5 percent national rate. Venango County beat the overall Pennsylvania rate of 7.6 percent.

Congress Renews Unemployment Insurance but Reduces Benefit Duration Over the Remainder of 2012 (2/17/2012)
This article explains the arcanity of the new unemlpoyment law passed by congress.

Laid-off men fight perceptions arising from 'mancession' (2/12/2012)
Experts say the mancession exists in part because male-dominated fields such as construction and manufacturing have been hit hard — with 3.5 million of the 7.9 million jobs lost during the economic downturn in these two areas — and because men, as higher earners, are more susceptible to cost-cutting layoffs.

LTE: GOP Obstruction on Unemployment Benefits (2/7/2012)
One of the main reasons that the trust fund is insolvent is that for the last 25 years companies have only been required to pay into the fund the first $8,000 of an employee's wages.

Unemployment compensation benefits in PA expire for 17,000 because of inaction in Harrisburg (2/4/2012)
Congress approved a 13-week extension of extended benefits in December for individuals who have been receiving benefits for the past 80 weeks. The congressional action provides $30 million in federal dollars to pay for those benefits. But Pennsylvania must first amend its own unemployment compensation law in order to tap that money.

The Corbett budget plan (2/6/2012)
Until now, the Corbett administration has distinguished itself through efforts to cut waste, fraud and abuse, restrict the number of people on food stamps and cut social service budgets. On top of this, 90,000 children have now reportedly been removed from state-funded health care.

Good jobs news: Finally, an encouraging employment report (2/5/2012)
It's been too long since the phrases "unemployment rate" and "cautious optimism" could be found in the same sentence. That changed Friday with news that the nation's jobless rate fell to 8.3 percent in January, the lowest level in three years while the economy saw a net gain of 243,000 jobs.

Dems say Corbett 'heartless' toward working families (2/5/2012)
Cite cuts to schools, assistance programs inaction on transit

Jobless report best in 3 years: Shows net gain of 243,000 jobs, but bad news mixes in with good (2/4/2012)
The monthly unemployment report contained undeniably good news Friday, but with bad statistics dappled in like dandelions in a lawn.

Mayors tout jobs growth in Lehigh Valley(2/3/2012)
The state Department of Labor reported that unemployment for the Lehigh Valley metro area dropped from 8.7 percent in November to 8.4 percent in December, adding 1,300 job.

Erie County unemployment rate holds steady in December (1/31/2012)
Pennsylvania rode a tide of good news in December, with the unemployment rate falling in 55 of 67 counties.

Pittsburgh region's unemployment rate fell in Dec. (1/31/2012)
Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region followed state and national trends in December and fell, dropping two-tenths of a percentage point to hit 6.9 percent, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reported today.

Jobless benefits to expire unless Pa. House acts (1/31/2012)
Thousands of Pennsylvanians will see their federally funded unemployment benefits expire after this week, with legislation to extend those checks lingering in the state House of Representatives.

US economy still 10 million jobs short of boom times (1/28/2012)
The U.S. recession officially ended in June 2009, but most Americans don't feel like we are in a recovery.

Retraining one answer to job loss situation (1/22/2012)
Miss Akers, 35, of Forest Hills, lost her job, along with 476 co-workers in November 2008. In January, she started a program at Community College of Allegheny County for dislocated workers, which waived her tuition and trained her in biotechnology.

Stress and distress in southeast Delaware County (1/22/2012)
The county is experiencing 7.6 percent unemployment, the worst rate among the four Pennsylvania suburban counties. The city of Chester's rate, 11.8 percent, even outpaces Philadelphia's 10.9 percent.

Skills of workers don't always match up with employer needs (1/22/2012)
According to the more than 1,300 U.S. employers surveyed, the jobs that are most difficult to fill include skilled trades, sales representatives and engineers.

Jobless rate falls, Pennsylvania still bests U.S. (1/20/2012)
Unemployment in Pennsylvania dropped to 7.6 percent in December, down from 7.9 percent in November, the state's Department of Labor and Industry reported Thursday.

Pennsylvania Unemployment Offices Unreachable by Phone (1/19/2012)
There is growing frustration among out-of-work Pennsylvanians. Some are struggling to reach the state's unemployment offices on the phone.

Jobless claims: Lowest level in nearly 4 (1/19/2012)
The Labor Department reported that 352,000 people filed for initial unemployment benefits last week, down sharply from a revised reading of 402,000 claims in the previous week. It is also the fewest number of people filing for jobless claims since the week ending April 19, 2008.

Western Pa. to regain recession losses, report says, yet unemployment still high (1/19/2012)
If the prediction holds up, the region will have more than regained the 37,500 jobs it lost since the official start of the recession in December 2007.

Tug-of-war over unemployment money.(1/18/2012)
Business leaders want additional federal unemployment compensation tied to systemic changes that have nothing to do with the federal money being offered.

Brighter outlook: The nation's jobs picture continues to improve(1/8/2012)
What better news on a January Friday than the struggling U.S. economy in December created 200,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate dropped from 8.7 percent to 8.5 percent?

Pennsylvanians getting jobless benefits push for extension(1/7/2012)
About 3,000 jobless Pittsburgh-area workers who are nearing the end of unemployment benefits won't get a two-month federal extension -- unless the Legislature tweaks state law.

A report on work: Many still searching (12/27/2011)
Those who found jobs earn less than they did before.

Falling stats ignore desperation of chronic under-, unemployed (12/26/2011)
The federal government's monthly unemployment index -- currently 8.6 percent -- doesn't include part-time workers who want to work more hours but can't. It doesn't count those who've simply given up.

DN Editorial: Heat vs. eat: Hard choices for poor (12/19/2011)
If you've never had to choose between heating and eating - paying for fuel vs. paying for food - you're in a fortunate group. This year, you're also in a much smaller group.

Emergency aid in high demand(12/15/2011)
A winter's worth of federal heating-energy assistance from Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that people applied for in November has run out for some people as early as Dec. 7. And those on a waiting list for housing assistance vouchers have been denied because Altoona Housing Authority's federal money for that cause has been spent.

Initial Unemployment Claims at Lowest Level Since 2008(12/15/2011)
That said, theUnited States job market is still far from robust. About 8.8. million jobs were lost in the financial crisis, and as of November, still less than a third of those have been added back.

Pennsylvania's drop in Medicaid rolls stirs controversy (12/14/2011)
Since August, the Corbett administration has cut off more than 150,000 people - including 43,000 children - from medical assistance in a drive to save costs. That purge far exceeds what any other state has tried, health policy experts say, and officials may be walking a fine line between rooting out waste and erecting barriers to care for the poor and disabled.

Don't be Scrooge: Congress should extend unemployment benefits (12/13/2011)
According to the U.S. Labor Department, about 1.8 million people -- including more than 74,000 Pennsylvanians -- could lose their benefits by early February if Congress doesn't pass an extension.

New Pennsylvania unemployment compensation law to take effect in January(12/13/2011)
The unemployment compensation system will undergo some significant changes when a new law goes into effect in January.

Unemployment benefits in jeopardy. Government help for long-term unemployed could end Dec. 31(12/12/2011)
Assistance for the long-term unemployed – those out of work for more than six months – is emerging as a defining issue heading into the presidential election year.

Step on the gas: Washington needs to fast track job creation(12/5/2011)
The unemployment figures released last Friday suggest that the times are not as bad as they have been - but not as good as they might look on the surface.

Hard times are a challenge to food banks (12/5/2011)
"The whole landscape of who we help is changing every day," said Ms. Miller. "It's not just people unemployed and people receiving public assistance. We've seen a marked increase in the working poor -- people who have jobs and realize that they can't do it on their own."

Small change: The jobs numbers are headed in the right direction (12/5/2011)
The economy added 120,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate fell from 9 percent to 8.6 percent. That's the good part. The bad part is the U.S. economy must add 150,000 jobs per month just to stay even with new entries into the job market, and many more than that to put a dent in the considerable job losses of the past four years.

'Hunger in every ZIP code' (12/4/2011)
This economy has forced some locals to do something they’ve never done before, and probably thought they never would: sign up for food stamps.

Harrisburg area unemployment rate made sharp drop in October(12/1/2011)
The Harrisburg region’s unemployment rate fell sharply to 7.1 percent in October.

Pittsburgh region shows solid job gains(12/1/2011)
Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region came in two full percentage points below the nation's 9 percent rate for October.

Obama crowd comes with expectations(12/1/2011)
"I'm fed up with the horsecrap that's being passed off from the other side of the aisle," Mr. Gunnin said. "I want to hear him say he's going to push this job package. I want to hear him start calling these Republicans out. The system is messed up, and I'm tired of listening to the Republicans."

Altoona area unemployment rates decrease(12/1/2011)
Cambria County saw the biggest drop, falling from 8.7 percent in September to 8.2 percent in October. Over the year, Cambria County's rate is down 1.2 percentage points, the department said.

Unemployment rate drops in the Lehigh Valley(12/1/2011)
The region's unemployment rate in October dipped three-tenths of a percent, to 8.6 percent, according to figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Industry. That brought the number of officially unemployed residents down to 35,900.

Lehigh Valley employers expect hiring to decrease in the next six months(11/29/2011)
Businesses expect to add 0.4 employees in the next six months, Afshar said. Three months ago, they expected to add 0.7 employees. Purchasing projections also declined slightly from July levels, Afshar said.

Area Subway restaurants taking EBT cards(11/28/2011)
Local Subway restaurants now accept Electronic Benefits Transfer payments. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare uses EBT cards to provide food and cash assistance to recipients.

Poverty has taken root in suburbs(11/27/2011)
A Brookings Institution analysis of census data showed that from 2000 to 2010, the number of poor individuals in suburbs grew 53 percent, compared with 23 percent in cities.

Jobs in industry plummet in Pennsylvania(11/22/2011)
The state's manufacturing industry lost 35 percent of its jobs over the past decade, prompting Gov. Tom Corbett to form an advisory council to identify top issues blocking growth of the industry.

Poverty on the rise in Bucks, Montco(11/20/2011)
Bucks County saw Greater Philadelphia’s highest percentage-point increase in the number of people living in poverty last year, thanks to high unemployment, scarce jobs and the rising cost of just about everything.

October sees slight improvement in job statistics - Fewer unemployed, more positions added (11/18/2011)
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in October from 8.3 percent in September, bringing the first reduction of the state unemployment rate since it started rising again in June.

Erie Together volunteers share successes, goals of poverty fight(11/16/2011)
Tuesday's forum served as both a celebration of Erie Together's successes and a rallying cry for the community's residents to find ways in their own lives to help improve the lives of the region's poor people.

US teens should be priority(11/16/2011)
Somehow, we doubt the 24 percent of Americans aged 16-19 who want jobs but can't find them care much about cultural understanding. It doesn't pay the bills.

Capitolwire: Senate approves bill to help address $3 billion UC debt to feds (11/16/2011)
2011 Lost in all of the Marcellus Shale, school voucher and child abuse talk in the state Capitol Tuesday was that the state Senate approved a bill that seeks to address Pennsylvania’s $3 billion unemployment compensation (UC) debt to the federal government.

Federal bill would help unemployed veterans land jobs(11/10/2011)
The U.S. Senate is poised to vote as soon as today on legislation that would provide tax credits to businesses that hire unemployed veterans.

Applications for Unemployment Aid Drop to 390,000(11/10/2011)
The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell to the lowest level since April, a sign that employers could be stepping up hiring.

More people live in areas of concentrated poverty, report finds(11/3/2011)
More Americans fell into extreme poverty during the past decade, including some in Pittsburgh.

In 2000s, poverty moved into the suburbs(11/3/2011)
Poverty declined in the 1990s and then spent the first decade of the new century moving to places that had previously been safe havens of the middle class.

Poverty forum: Panelists weigh in and people sound off at the town hall event(11/2/2011)
Embracing cultural diversity, making it easier for businesses to open in Reading, improving incentives for companies to relocate to Berks County and enhancing educational and training opportunities are ways to help lift Reading out of poverty.

Survey: Expectations of small business owners deteriorating(11/1/2011)
Small- and mid-sized business owners in Pennsylvania are showing a significant deterioration in their expectations for hiring and sales outlooks compared to spring, according to the Fall 2011 PNC Economic Outlook Survey.

Lehigh Valley area unemployment drops to 8.9 percent(11/1/2011)
Lehigh Valley area unemployment fell to 8.9 percent in September even though private sector jobs declined, according to a new report.

Unemployment rates decline in Erie, Crawford counties(11/1/2011)
The ranks of the unemployed in Erie County plunged dramatically in September, falling from 11,900 to 10,300, driving the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate down half a percentage point to 8.3 percent.

For many Erie retirees, golden years not what they expected (11/1/2011)
Arlene Fischer imagined a retirement filled with vacations in New England. . . Fischer, it turns out, is part of a sizable minority of Americans who have discovered life in retirement isn't what they expected.

Midstate unemployment declines, but 20,900 are jobless(11/1/2011)
Unemployment in the Harrisburg area fell to 7.4 per¬cent, down from 7.8 percent in August.

Region's jobless rate falls a little(11/1/2011)
The unemployment rate in the Pittsburgh region fell by four-tenths of a percentage point in September to 7.4 percent from 7.8 percent in August, marking a return to the July jobless levels.

Jobless rate down in all Altoona area counties(11/1/2011)
Blair County's jobless rate decreased from 7.7 percent in August to 7.1 percent in September, the department said.

Too big to fail: Jobless Americans still need a hand from Congress(10/13/2011)
The Senate turned down President Barack Obama's jobs bill Tuesday, sabotaging democracy and fair play since the actual vote was 50-49 in favor of the measure to authorize debate.

Claims and trade data suggest modest improvement(10/13/2011)
New claims for jobless benefits were little changed last week and the trade deficit narrowed marginally in August, indicating a modest improvement in the economy.

CEOs fault rules, aid to jobless (10/12/2011)
A group of CEOs appointed by President Obama to tell him how to create jobs got the lowdown from some of their own kind in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Erie college poll shows impact of hard times on Pennsylvania residents (10/11/2011)
The survey found blame to go around: about half said steps taken by President Obama and both parties in Congress had made things "somewhat worse" or "much worse." Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, fared even worse on this question.

Heed workers, not bosses, Obama urged (10/11/2011)
"It's a major concern," said Kyndall Mason, spokeswoman for One Pittsburgh, a coalition of labor and community activists lobbying lawmakers to vote for Obama's jobs bill. "He's meeting with all these people who do nothing but cut jobs and ship jobs overseas and (who) don't play fairly."

Pass the jobs plan: Washington must put Americans back to work(10/11/2011)
The Republicans, after all, have a perverse, election-driven interest in seeing America's jobless woes continue into 2012, when the president will go before the voters for a second term.

Moody's economist: Unemployment will stay high for the next year(10/11/2011)
Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Analytics, predicts little movement in the unemployment rate over the next year.

U.S. Adds 103,000 Jobs; Rate Holds Steady at 9.1%(10/7/2011)
The public sector was the weakest link, with local government shedding 35,000 jobs, including 24,400 in public education.

Some Unemployed Find Fault in Extension of Jobless Benefits(10/7/2011)
President Obama wants to continue offering benefits for an extended period of time, a maximum of 99 weeks, as is now the case.

Obama's Pittsburgh job visit not big draw (10/6/2011)
Most of Western Pennsylvania's congressional delegation won't make it to President Obama's visit to Pittsburgh next week, saying their day jobs got in the way.

Cuts to Pennsylvania's Human Services Development Fund leave midstate counties with tough choice (10/6/2011)
The service was for unemployed and underemployed people in rural areas, who weren’t being helped because they didn’t fall into another category, such as being homeless or living in temporary housing.

Beyond the poverty threshold(10/5/2011)
Before we tear the country apart with class warfare, we would do well to understand that poverty is relative, true wealth tends to be absolute, and individual action and responsibility are still feasible aspects of social.

Extended unemployment benefits are in jeopardy(10/5/2011)
On Jan. 1, 2012, while most people are ringing in the New Year, 89,000 Pennsylvanians will have their unemployment benefits cut off.

Energy sector fuels jobs surge in Western Pennsylvania (10/1/2011)
Two Pittsburgh-area counties are showing some of the fastest job growth in the country.

Job growth high in Butler and Washington (10/1/2011)
Job creation has been stagnant nationally over the last two years, but two suburban Pittsburgh counties, Butler and Washington, continue to enjoy healthy employment increases.

Poverty threatens our future (9/29/2011)
We must invest in jobs and preserve health coverage for all.

Reading City poverty worse, social workers say (9/29/2011)
Reading is ranked first in the nation in Census Bureau statistics for the number of poor residents as the need for food, housing and jobs increases.

Pittsburgh region's jobless rate ticks upward(9/27/2011)
Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region rose by four-tenths of a percentage point to 7.8 percent in August, up from 7.4 percent in July

Altoona Residents outline city ideas (9/25/2011)
Altoona needs more jobs, better housing, fewer stormwater management problems and better sidewalks, residents said Saturday.

Innovation is the long-term solution to America's job crisis, some economic thinkers say (9/25/2011)
Only by leading the world in innovation will America generate skilled, good-paying jobs.

The class warfare to fear is that stirred by poverty(9/25/2011)
Poverty in this country has increased 3 percent over the last decade. More than 46 million Americans are living in poverty, the highest level on record in 52 years.

Keys to a recovery: Job creation & tax incentives (9/22/2011)
Providing tax incentives that entice businesses to create new jobs is a key ingredient to turning our economy around, and it can't come soon enough for the 72,000 Philadelphia families struggling to make ends meet.

Survey shows improvements in 3 economic areas in Pennsylvania (9/22/2011)
Allegheny County, in particular, led the region's progress in those economic benchmarks, with substantial drops in poverty and uninsured residents and income growth above inflation.

Poverty rate rose in Philadelphia from 2009 to 2010 (9/22/2011)
A 1.7 percent increase from 25 percent to 26.7 percent poverty may not sound like a lot, but that's nearly 23,000 more children, parents, brothers, and sisters struggling to get by each and every day.

Incomes down, poverty up in Lehigh Valley in 2010(9/22/2011)
In 2010 for the third year in a row, thousands more Lehigh Valley residents sank beneath the poverty line, even as the U.S. economy showed tentative signs of life.

Cuts to Medicaid could endanger chronically ill (9/21/2011)
Chronically ill Pennsylvanians on Medicaid could have a harder time finding doctors -- and fewer services if they do find one -- should proposed cuts in federal matching dollars to the state-run medical insurance program go through.

It's the uncertainty, stupid (9/21/2011)
The president's latest jobs plan is a rehash that won't work.

Unemployed worker frustrated (9/13/2011)
I have been unemployed for about a year, collecting unemployment and searching for a job, and am signed up at every place for employment that this city has to offer.

Unemployed swamp retail job fair(9/9/2011)
More than 200 people attended a job fair hosted Thursday night by Oxford Valley Mall.

Labor Day Parade focuses on plight of unemployed (9/6/2011)
Labor Day was a day off work for many, but for Shawn Wygant, it was one more day he didn't have a job.

All about jobs: Washington must come together on a real plan (9/6/2011)
Obama can't do it alone--the involvement of congressional Republicans is necessary to get Americans back to work

Pa.'s neglect - The state owes the working poor benefits promised by the tobacco law (9/5/2011)
At the same time we're recognizing the contributions of working families, we're also marking the six-month anniversary of an act by the governor and the state Legislature that inflicted perhaps more pain on working families than even the current economic recession.

Anne Reeves: With 8 percent unemployment in Pennsylvania, why do so many jobs remain open? (9/5/2011)
“More and more companies are looking for better candidates at cheaper prices. I think they are realizing that they have to change their approach."

Employment won't increase until economic recovery is kickstarted (9/4/2011)
Experts say the main sources of new jobs in Western Pennsylvania are likely to be in the health care, education and natural gas industries and the spinoff jobs they bring in accounting, finance and information technology.

Health insurance harder to find for unemployed, poor (9/2/2011)
The end of a government-funded subsidy that made it easier for the unemployed to continue their health insurance benefits will likely send thousands more into the ranks of the uninsured.

43 percent of Pennsylvania affected by underemployment in the past year (9/2/2011)
While unemployment in Pennsylvania has been hovering around 8 percent, the real number of people who have been unemployed is a much higher percentage of the workforce; 14.3 percent of Pennsylvania workers (938,100) have been jobless at some point in the last 12 months

Jobs, finances emerge as bigger worry to Pennsylvania voters (9/1/2011)
A general dismay with the economy has sharpened into more personal worries about unemployment and household finances for a growing number of people in Pennsylvania

July jobless numbers mixed in region (9/1/2011)
New jobless figures for July show northwestern Pennsylvania counties are skidding all over the place

No more health coverage for the unemployed (8/31/2011)
As federal health subsidy expires, hospitals are seeing increased demand from the uninsured.

Pittsburgh region's unemployment numbers tick upward again (8/30/2011)
The region's job market moved another tick in the wrong direction last month, with unemployment for the Pittsburgh area growing to 7.4 percent in July, up one-tenth from June and continuing a slow but steady deterioration.

COBRA subsidies expire Sept. 1 (8/25/2011)
Federal program helped unemployed afford to pay for health insurance

Rally highlights need for jobs in the region (8/24/2011)
More than 50 people gathered outside the Media courthouse to demand legislators protect and create jobs for the middle class.

Obama Weighing Job-Training Plan(8/22/2011)
President Barack Obama's jobs package, to be unveiled next month, is likely to target the long-term unemployed, some 6.2 million Americans who have been out of work for six months or more.

Area lawmakers say they want action, not just talk, on economy (8/18/2011)
Pittsburgh-area congressmen want less blame and more action when President Obama talks next month about spurring the economy.

Pa. child well-being rank inches up to 20th: State reaches top 20 for youth well-being, but worries abound for its 'tortoise pace' (8/18/2011)
Butten percent of all children in Pennsylvania live with at least one unemployed parent eligible for or seeking employment.

New rules for Pennsylvania unemployed (8/17/2011)
About 22,000 people in Lancaster County get unemployment relief. Starting Jan. 1, they will have to prove they are actively seeking jobs to keep the benefits.

DN Editorial: Unemployed? Don't apply (8/17/2011)
FIFTY YEARS after the publication of Joseph Heller's classic novel, here's a "Catch-22" for our time: With 14 million people officially out of work, many employers and staffing agencies won't consider hiring anyone who needs a job.

Big pay, fewer jobs: BNY Mellon cuts people while inflating execs' comp (8/17/2011)
At the same time that BNY Mellon is cutting 1,700 people, they continue to pay $55.6 million to their top five executives despite poor performance.

What Is Business Waiting For? (8/16/2011)
I am coming more and more to think that with the government essentially paralyzed for the foreseeable future, the only way we’re going to get jobs is by turning to actual job creators: business itself.

Jobless protesters demand Barletta's attention (8/16/2011)
The group targeted U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, saying it wants to ask him where the jobs are?

Protesters say Toomey meets with fat cats but not jobless (8/15/2011)
"We want Pat Toomey to meet with the people who voted him in, but the only ones he meets with are big business owners," Mr. Wygant said.

Protesters rally for jobs outside Congressman Kelly's Erie office (8/11/2011)
Jobs, jobs and more jobs. That was the message to Congress from about 60 protesters who rallied outside U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly's office on Erie's bayfront.

Unemployed workers protest at Pat Toomey's Allentown office, call for job-creating legislation (8/10/2011)
A group of about 25 unemployed workers Tuesday gathered outside U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s office in protest, saying the senator has not fulfilled a campaign promise to help those who want to find work.

A hard look at the fate of the job market (8/7/2011)
With 14 million unemployed and 16 million underemployed or discouraged from looking for a job, we are at the lowest proportion of adults working in more than 25 years.

Employment grew in July, but modestly (8/7/2011)
The private sector added 154,000 new jobs, but they were offset by deep cuts in government employment, particularly at the state and local levels, where payrolls decreased by 39,000.

Obama's empty jobs vow: Castles in the sand (8/7/2011)
President Barack Obama stepped before the cameras in the Rose Garden last week and vowed to renew his focus on jobs and the economy. And where will these jobs come from?

States are cutting unemployment benefits to avoid a debt crisis (8/5/2011)
Job numbers are tepid. Unemployment benefit claims are still on the rise. But cash-strapped states have already begun scaling back unemployment insurance benefits and restricting eligibility.

Allegheny County executive candidates exchange barbs over economics (8/5/2011)
The Republican candidate for Allegheny County executive, D. Raja, offered a jobs plan Thursday while his Democratic opponents contended that its credibility was undermined by a 2001 case investigated by the U.S. Labor Department in which he had underpaid his own employees.

More Pennsylvania job cuts in wake of debt deal (8/4/2011)
the number of government jobs in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/Hazleton area decreased by 2.2 percent, or 700, from last year to 31,500

Unemployment figures up in Northwest Pennsylvania (8/3/2011)
The jobless rate went up in six of the seven corner counties for the second consecutive month, erasing a large portion of the employment gains made since January.

House help dies: Pa. kills foreclosure loan program (8/2/2011)
HEMAP helped unemployed homeowners get loans so that they didn't lose their homes.

Schuylkill County unemployment rate rises (8/2/2011)
More people were added to the roles of the unemployed in June as the Schuylkill County's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 9.3 percent from 9 percent in May.

Pennsylvania state funding cut means 22 fewer jobs Erie welfare-to-work agency (7/29/2011)
The center will lose over 50% of its funding, year over year, making it very difficult to continue to serve a population that desperately needs help from the state.

Job market ‘brutal’ for teen employment (7/29/2011)
But teenagers seeking work fared better this June than they had since 2007

Editorial: No jobs, no recovery (7/25/2011)
More jobs for Americans is the key to kicking this country out of its post-recession funk

Subsidy cuts fill jobless rolls with former school employees(7/25/2011)
5,700 teachers and support workers across Pennsylvania received furloughs in the wake of a $900 million reduction in state and federal school aid.

Government snapshot of joblessness too rosy a view, experts explain(7/24/2011)
The U-6 jobless rate — the most inclusive of the federal government's six jobless measures—rose to 16.2 percent in June, from 15.8 percent in May.

Pennsylvania's UC Trust Fund is heavily in debt (7/22/2011)
We need to raise employer taxes to get us back to even.

Pennsylvania agency that trains welfare recipients lays off 74 (7/22/2011)
State budget cuts have caused 74 EARN center employees to be cut off, reducing welfare-to-work services statewide.

Pennsylvania's jobless rate jumped to 7.6% in June (7/21/2011)
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate increased 0.2% in June as the economy continues to suffer

Changes quietly made to unemployment in Pennsylvania (7/16/2011)
Corbett and the Pennsylvania legislature have pushed through changes that will result in $133 million in benefit cuts to unemployed people

Growth in temp jobs signals progress (7/16/2011)
More employers turn to temporary staffing to meet needs in unstable economy

Recent Grads Struggle to Find Jobs (7/9/2011)
College degrees are no guarantee of full-time work in this econony

Hope for the unemployed (7/8/2011)
Pennsylvania volunteers meet weekly to teach and encourage in a brutal job market

Northwest Pennsylvania's unemployment rate rises unexpectedly. (6/30/2011)
Unemployment for May unexpectedly crept up in the seven counties making up the northwest corner of Pennsylvania, leaving them higher than the state average, although still lower than the US average.

Pittsburgh region's jobless rate hits 7 percent - May data contrasts with 6.8% in April (6/28/2011)
May was not a good month for employment in the Pittsburgh area.

Putting a number on the recovery: It would take 235,200 more jobs to drop the Pennslyvania unemployment rate to 2007 level (6/23/2011)
A new analysis of state unemployment numbers found North Dakota was the only state in the union in better shape for workers now than at the start of the Great Recession.

Marcellus Shale Boom Adds Less Than 10,000 Pa. Jobs(6/21/2011)
Industry has yielded job growth but impacts are vastly overstated by some

New unemployment compensation law provides workshare plan (6/21/2011)
Businesses and employees will be able to negotiate work-sharing programs to avoid layoffs and control unemployment compensation costs under changes to Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation system.

Pittsburgh could lead United States in speed of recovery (6/21/2011)
Western Pennsylvania's stable housing market and broad economic base will allow it to bounce back faster from the recession than many areas of the country, a new report says.

Jobless-benefit extension likely (6/16/2011)
The Pennsylvania House and Senate are expected over the next two days to approve compromise legislation to prevent 45,000 people from losing extended unemployment compensation benefits.

Bill for jobless to reach Corbett, Benefits could be extended for 45,000(6/16/2011)
State lawmakers have hammered out an agreement on UC that is expected to reach the governor by Friday

2 projects could mean jobs, ramped up local economy (6/16/2011)
A training center for natural gas pipeline inspectors and a cracking plant could both add northwest PA jobs.

Job growth still lagging two years after recession's end (6/5/2011)
When the recession ended in June 2009, 14.8 million people were unemployed. Two years later, 13.9 million remain jobless.

U.S. jobless rate in May rises to 9.1% (6/4/2011)
Some see the unemployment rate and other data as signs economic recovery has now stalled

Jobs picture improves (6/1/2011)
Unemployment rates in the Tri-County Area continued to fall in April, with Elk County's jobless rate dipping below 7 percent.

Lehigh Valley unemployment falls to 8.2 percent, its lowest level in two years (6/1/2011)
Lehigh Valley unemployment fell in April to its lowest point in two years, boosted by a spike in job creation, according to a report being released today.

Unemployment rate holds steady in Erie County (6/1/2011)
Erie County's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in April at 7.6 percent.

Job increases continue across Pittsburgh region (6/1/2011)
The region's economy continued to improve in April, with employers adding 14,000 jobs in construction, manufacturing, hospitality and other industries compared to the previous month, the state said today.

Poor economy only one of veterans' problems, Casey says (6/1/2011)
The unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans is 10.9 percent, compared with 8.5 percent unemployment among nonveterans.

Unemployment much higher for post-9/11 vets, tied to industries hit hard by recession (6/1/2011)
The unemployment rate for all veterans is 7.7 percent compared to 8.5 percent for the general population.

For Philly's male workers, no jobs now ... and maybe never again (5/31/2011)
30% of black men in their 40s and 50s in Philadelphia remain unemployed.

Pennsylvania unemployment compensation benefits hinge on two bills aim at fixing guidelines by June 11 (5/30/2011)
As lawmakers work out differences over reforms to the state's unemployment compensation system, about 45,000 unemployed Pennsylvanians will be watching.

Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry contests ad saying he 'wants to punish' jobless (5/29/2011)
Perry's bill, HB 916, would cut over $600 million per year in unemployment compensation benefits. Wanting to punish or not, this bill would seriously hurt the unemployed.

Scramble is on to maintain jobless benefits (5/21/2011)
The state only has until June 11 to pass a law that would keep 135,000 people on unemployment. Perry's HB 913 goes far beyond this and attempts to harshly slash UC benefits.

Pa. jobless rate falls to 7.5% in April (5/20/2011)
The Pennsylvania Unemployment rate continues to fall, hitting 7.5% in April. The cloudy part of the picture is that many people have dropped out of the workforce, which artificially lowers the unemployment rate.

Pittsburgh-area unemployment rate dips under 7 percent (4/26/2011)
Unemployment fell in the Pittsburgh region to 6.8%.

Expecting greater demand, Traco plans to hire 280 (4/26/2011)
Traco, of Cranberry, PA, plans to hire 280 seasonal and full-time workers "as quickly as possible."

Harrisburg-Carlisle area's unemployment rate dips below 7% (4/26/2011)
The unemployment rate in the Harrisburg area dropped to 6.9%, almost a full point lower than the statewide rate of 7.8%.

Unemployment rates improve in Erie and Crawford counties (4/26/2011)
The unemployment rate in Erie fell to 7.7% and the unemployment rate in Crawford fell to 7.4%. The news is tempered by the fact that the rate likely fell because of people dropping out of the workforce, not more jobs.

Mixed news for labor market in Lehigh Valley (4/26/2011)
The unemployment rate dropped to 8.3% and the region added jobs in health care, tourism, but the number of residents working dropped in March.

Democrats listen to job creation ideas (4/21/2011)
A hearing held by the PA Senate Democratic Policy Committee included nine witnesses with ideas on how to create jobs in PA.

Unemployment claims drop again and Consumer Confidence rises again (4/21/2011)
Consumer confidence rose for thefourth straight week and the four week moving average for first time unemployment claims remained below 400k for the eight straight week.

Jobless need skills to compete (4/20/2011)
That's what workforce leaders recommend as 10,000 Lehigh Valley residents face loss of benefits.

Federal budget cuts could wind up severely affecting employment program for poor (4/18/2011)
A program that gives more than 75,000 elderly Americans jobs could be cut by 45% in the budget deal signed last week.

Pennsylvania unemployment rate drops by largest amount in more than 20 years in March (4/15/2011)
The unemployment rate in Pennsylvania was 7.8% in March, a full percent lower than the rate a year ago.

Pennsylvania's Unemployment rate dips below 8% in March (4/15/2011)
For the first time in 2 years, the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania is below 8%, standing at 7.8%.

Fed Reserve report shows that the recovery is ongoing (4/14/2011)
Business' view of the economy shows that growth is moderate and an increase in available jobs are both good news. The report also notes that there are 4.4 job seekers for every job opening.

Job seekers strike oil (4/7/2011)
Marcellus job fair attracts hundreds to work in oil and gas related fields.

Initial weekly unemployment claims fall again (4/7/2011)
Initial unemployment claims fell to 382,000 this week, with the four week moving average dropping to 389,500.

Franklin County's unemployment rate at 25-month low (4/5/2011)
February's unemployment rate of 6.8% was the lowest in Franklin County since January 2009 and is far lower than state and national averages.

Pittsburgh region's unemployment rate dips again (4/5/2011)
The region's unemployment rate fell from 7.2% to 7% in February.

The economy added 216,000 jobs in March (4/1/2011)
The unemployment rate decreased to 8.8% while total employment increased by almost 1,000,000 in the past year

A new trend is emerging among business: jobless need not apply (4/1/2011)
Should states and the federal government make it illegal to discriminate against the unemployed?

Federal budget crisis puts jobs programs at risk (3/31/2011)
House Republicans want to eliminate all federal funding for job-training programs for rest of fiscal year.

New study shows economic security difficult to attain for most families (3/31/2011)
A new report shows that the majority of Americans are unable to achieve true economic security, including saving for retirement and emergencies.

Discouraged, more Pittsburgh-area residents abandoning job hunt (3/27/2011)
Unemployment and ensuing poverty has spread from the city to the first ring of suburbs because of the Great Recession.

Pennsylvania unemployment rate falls to 8% (3/18/2011)
The rate is the lowest since May 2009. Unfortunately, the low rate also means that the long-term unemployed are only entitled to 93 weeks of unemployment, rather than 99 weeks.

Regional Alliance predicts gain of 11,000 jobs in Pittsburgh (3/16/2011)
The Alliance also noted that there were 69 advanced manufacturing projects planned for the region for the coming year.

Lebanon County unemployment rate drops to 6.5% (3/15/2011)
The county saw over 1200 people start work betweenNovember 2010 and January 2011.

Pittsburgh region's jobless rate falls to 7.2% in January (3/15/2011)
The unemployment rate is down from 7.9% in December

Unemployment drops in Erie, Crawford (3/15/2011)
Erie's unemployment rate fell from 8.9% in December to 8.2% in January

House votes to cancel second foreclosure-relief program (3/12/2011)
HAMP, a program to help unemployed homeowners pay their mortgage, is ending.

Unemployment Drops, Job Gains in PA and US (3/4/2011)
The unemployment rate dropped to 8.2% in Pennsylvania and 30,000 additional people got jobs in January.

February Unemployment Rate Drops to 8.9% (3/4/2011)
The unemployment rate dropped and 192,000 jobs were added to the economy in February.

Lunch and Learn (3/4/2011)
A chance for Venango County residents to learn about public benefits and get a free lunch.

Plight of the 99ers (2/27/2011)
Faced with ending up out in the cold, 99ers are forced to make very difficult decisions.

Bill may be coming due for Pennsylvania borrowing to pay unemployment benefits (2/26/2011)
Since 2009, PA has borrowed more than $3 billion to pay for unemployment benefits; payments on that loan start this year.

Senate proposal targets jobs in Northeast PA (2/24/2011)
Revamping state economic development programs could help Northeastern Pennsylvania become a supplier network for Marcellus Shale gas.

The Unemployed Need Not Apply (2/19/2011)
The EEOC is investigating claims of discrimination against unemployed people who are seeking jobs.

Lehigh Valley's big employers stabilized in 2010 (2/19/2011)
The latest survey reflects the broader trend that the days of sweeping cuts in nearly every sector of the economy have come to an end, but rapid hiring has not yet kicked in.

Weekly unemployment claims rise slightly (2/17/2011)
Unemployment claims jumped to 410,000 last week, while the four week moving average jumped just under 2000.

One more blow: Jobless benefits taxable (2/17/2011)
Surprise! Jobless benefits are taxable. At least Pennsylvania doesn't tax them.

As unemployment insurance debts mount, interest payments loom (2/16/2011)
Pennsylvania has the fourth largest debt to the federal government for UC payments.

US Jobless Filings at Lowest Level Since July 2008 (2/10/2011)
Applications for unemployment fell to 383,000 this week.

Short-term education can boost employment chances (2/10/2011)
Whether laid off or looking for a new career or a promotion, workers across Western Pennsylvania can choose from a variety of short-term educational programs to improve their employment chances.

Weak January Job Growth is Disappointing (2/4/2011)
Only 36,000 jobs were added in January while unemployment fell to 9%

Don't let homeless issue slip away in Erie (2/3/2011)
High unemployment is causing more people to become homeless

Pittsburgh-area jobless rate dips below 8 percent (2/1/2011)
Pittsburgh saw an increase of 9000 jobs between December 2009 and December 2010

Harrisburg area's unemployment rate fell to 7.6% in December (2/1/2011)
Perhaps it is seasonal hiring, but the Harrisburg region saw an increase in hiring in December that lowered the unemployment rate.

Erie County's unemployment rate dips below 9 percent (2/1/2011)
Erie County unemployment is down from 10.2% just one year ago.

Businesses on hook to pay U.S. for unemployment (1/31/2011)
Pennsylvania needs to figure out how to cope with the $3.1 billion it has borrowed from the federal government to pay for UC over the last year.

Pa. jobless rate drops to 8.5% (1/21/2011)
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Pennsylvania dropped for the fifth straight month in December to 8.5 percent.

Lehigh Valley unemployment claims spike in December (1/20/2011)
6,000 people file initial jobless claims

Marcellus gas firms courted by Westmoreland to spur jobs (1/18/2011)
By 2020, Westmoreland County could see as many as 3,000 related to Marcellus shale drilling and natural gas

AdultBasic insurance for working poor set to expire (1/12/2011)
With adultBasic set to run out of money soon, it appears the program's 41,000 subscribers will have to make alternative arrangements for health coverage -- or go without it -- starting Feb. 28.

Agency boosts soft job skills like being on time and hard skills (1/12/2011)
The Three Rivers WIB has an anual budget for job training of $7 million.

Home remodeling firm makes move to Chester, bringing jobs and excitement (1/12/2011)
The family-owned 900-employee environmentally friendly home renovation company moved into 58,000-square-feet at the Wharf at Rivertown on Jan. 3.

New Pennsylvania governor likely to end low-cost health insurance for the poor (1/12/2011)
Pennsylvania's subsidized health insurance for low-income working people will likely end next month, leaving more than 40,000 people with less palatable options and dashing the hopes of more than 400,000 on the waiting list.

Stuck Out in the Cold - Ranks of long-term jobless are growing (1/9/2011)
- Long-term unemployment beat another distressing record last year: The percentage of the unemployed who were out of work for more than six months rose to a staggering 45.6 percent.

Profits are Booming. Why Aren't Jobs? (1/8/2011)
2010 3rd quarter profits rose at the highest rate ever, but where are the jobs?

Despite Positive Signs, Jobs Still Hard To Find (1/7/2011)
While many large companies are once again profitable, firms remain cautious about spending the big cushions of cash they've built up

US Department of Labor Launches Website for Unemployed
(1/7/2011)

Job picture improves only slightly (1/6/2011)
The US added 103,000 jobs in December, but many people dropped out of the labor

Food Stamp Use Soaring (1/3/2011)
Since the recession began, 250,000 households have been added to the food stamps program in PA

Unemployment rates fall in Erie, Crawford counties (12/30/2010)
Erie's rate fell to 9.2% and Crawford to 9.4%. These numbers are still high, but moving in the right direction

A Portrait of Hunger: Life in one of the nation's poorest districts (12/29/2010)
The Inquirer takes a good look at how people struggle to find work and survive in parts of North Philadelphia

Some good economic news from around the state (12/29/2010)
More jobs in Franklin County,
unemployment lower in Harrisburg region,
and lower unemployment in Pittsburgh region

Things are looking up (12/28/2010)
Manufacturers remain optimistic as the economy begins to recover.

Unemployment Forecast for 2011 (12/27/2010)
A wonky look at unemployment forcasts unemployment still above 9% by this point next year

Full year renewal of Federal UC benefits passed! (12/16/2010)
People will still be able to get up to 99 weeks of unemployment through the end of next year

There are open jobs aplenty in the region (12/10/2010)
According to a recent analysis, employers posted over 42,000 jobs in the Pittsburgh region in the last few months

Is jobless benefits deal worthwhile? (12/9/2010)
Opinion is mixed about President Obama's deal to extend unemployment benefits.

Tax deal misses opportunities to boost employment, fairness (12/8/2010)
An Editorial in the Butler Eagle questions why we are giving tax cuts to the rich.

Bleak outlook: Latest job figures are cause for deep concern (12/6/2010)
Put the shocking U.S. employment situation -- 15 million unemployed -- alongside the so-far unwillingness of the Republicans in Congress to extend unemployment benefits and their determination to see that the country's millionaires get to keep their "Bush tax cuts," and it is easy to conclude that the United States as a nation is in deep trouble, up the creek and still looking for a paddle.

Disappointing Job Growth in U.S. as Jobless Rate Hits 9.8% (12/3/2010)
The United States economy added just 39,000 jobs and the unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent in November.

Jobless rates jump across region (12/3/2010)
Unemployment figures went up in October for all seven counties in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Persistence of Long-Term Unemployment Tests U.S. (12/2/2010)
The New Poor - Unemployed, and Likely to Stay That Way

Unemployment rate rises in Erie and Crawford counties (12/2/2010)
The recession might be over, but high unemployment persists.

Lehigh Valley unemployment rate climbs in October (12/2/2010)
Labor market turns sour as thousands of Valley residents are expected to lose jobless benefits.

Area's jobs, jobless rate both climb (12/2/2010)
The Pittsburgh region's economy created 5,000 jobs in October, but the unemployment rate rose above 8 percent again.

Delco's jobless: I can’t even comprehend how I will provide a home for my kids (12/2/2010)
With the U.S. Senate’s failure to extend emergency unemployment insurance benefits Tuesday evening, some 83,000 Pennsylvanians are expected to lose emergency unemployment compensation benefits this month.

Harrisburg-Carlisle jobs picture looks brighter in 2011, experts say (12/2/2010)
Unemployment in the Harrisburg-Carlisle area increased from 7.8 percent to 8.1 percent in October, according to figures released Wednesday by the state Department of Labor and Industry.

No More Help for the Long-Term Unemployed (12/2/2010)
Congress fails to extend jobless benefits, but is there another safety net?

New Jobless Claims Rise, But Trend Heads Down (12/2/2010)
More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the broader trend in layoffs points to a slowly healing job market. The average over the past month fell to a two-year low

Extension of jobless benefits is right thing to do for economy, writes President of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO (11/23/2010)
If Congress fails to reauthorize federal extensions, 133,065 jobless people right here in Pennsylvania will lose their critical lifeline in December

Jobless hold vigil in Philadelphia as phaseout of benefits looms (11/23/2010)
Effective this week, federal unemployment-benefit extensions begin to phase out

Daily News Editorial: Unemployment Benefits Should Be Extended (11/23/2010)
Think the country can't afford to help millions of our fellow citizens who are unemployed through no fault of their own? Think again: We can't afford not to.

Employers Pickier About Job Applicants' Skills (11/16/2010)
Despite the millions of unemployed, employers are complaining that they are having trouble filling

Unemployment Insurance Benefits Don’t Prevent Job (11/15/2010)
Our nation’s extraordinarily high level of unemployment is due to a lack of demand for workers rather than a lack of people willing to work.

National Action Alert (11/16/2010)
Call Congress today to tell them to support an extension of UC benefits!

New poll shows huge majority of Americans support extending unemployment benefits past November 30. (11/15/2010)
Rejecting Deficit Arguments, Three in Four Americans Say Too Soon to Cut Support to the Unemployed

Without Unemployment Benefit Extensions, This Rally Will Die in Q4 (11/11/2010)
Without government intervention to extend benefits again, consumer spending could dive in the critical fourth quarter, labor recovery or not.

Crisis for joblesss looms as compensation expires (11/11/2010)
Nearly 18,000 Philadelphians will be seeking new ways to pay their bills and put food on their tables beginning in January because their unemployment benefits run out next month.

Job loss taking a toll on health and life spans (11/10/2010)
The stress of joblessness -- and the loss of health insurance that often accompanies it -- can increase the risk of serious health problems.

Job fair draws 1,000 hopefuls (11/9/2010)
The end of unemployment benefits for many and the increase in seasonal hiring at warehouses and distribution centers created 'a perfect storm' at the event.

Pennsylvania unemployment system ready for update (11/8/2010)
Pennsylvania poverty rates continue to rise because of our antiquated UC sytem.

US Added Jobs for the First Time Since May (11/5/2010)
The monthly jobs report showed a modest gain of 151,000 job.

Just days after election changed balance of power, improvement predicted on jobs front (11/5/2010)
In the Friday Jobs report, slim gains in the economy are predicted

Jobless rate falls in northwestern Pa. (11/4/2010)
Unemployment figures in all seven counties drop, the biggest coming in Clarion County

President Weighs in on Need to Extend UC (11/3/2010)
Presdient Obama stressed the importance of extending unemployment benefits

Unemployed workers find job offers – but it doesn't mean they always take them (11/2/2010)
About 17 percent of unemployed workers have received at least one full- or part-time job offer, and almost all of those workers – 92 percent – turned down such an offer...

Residents look for help as economy struggles (11/2/2010)
As she juggled her 11-month-old son and baby bottle in one hand and an application for heating assistance in the other, single mother Brittany Kralik said she has learned "any help is good help."

99 Weeks: When Unemployment Benefits Run Out (10/24/2010)
60 Minutes: Scott Pelley Reports On The Growing Number of Americans Who Are Exhausting Their Benefits

Monthly Pa. jobless rate dips to 9% (10/22/2010)
It was the seventh month in a row that the Pennsylvania unemployment rate has been at or above 9 percent.

Looking for holiday work? (10/12/2010)
Amazon's expanding, PennDOT will be hiring and retailers are cautiously optimistic of openings

Free short-term training helps unemployed (10/4/2010)
In the coming months, unemployment benefits are expected to run out for thousands of people in Central Pennsylvania.

A wise investment in people: Reform Pa. unemployment so thousands of laid-off workers aren't excluded (10/2/2010)
Poverty is on the rise nationwide and in Pennsylvania.

Things looking grim for unemployed (9/30/2010)
By the end of the year, 157,500 Pennsylvanians will have been unemployed so long they will longer be eligible for regular and emergency unemployment compensation, which end after 99 weeks.

Typical Pa. unemployed experienced, educated (9/30/2010)
A new statistical profile from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry throws cold water on some common notions about the unemployed.

Some resources for the unemployed in York County (9/28/2010)
Group gathers to discuss resources aimed at lower income residents

A series of articles came out today touting lower unemployment rates(9/28/2010)

• Pittsburgh
• Erie
• Berks/Reading
• Philadelphia area

Jobless rate falls in Pittsburgh region to 8.2 percent (9/28/2010)

PNC Economist predicts modest recovery (9/28/2010)

Local employment agencies see hiring uptick (9/23/2010)
The job openings appear to be across the board, except for higher-income slots

Time will tell if Erie’s recession is over (9/23/2010)
The recession is officially over nationally, but what about in Erie?

Resilience in bleak times (9/22/2010)
How five laid-off workers kept positive and found jobs

Long-term unemployed aim to become political force (9/22/2010)
99ers are pressing policymakers for more aid and joining together to call attention to their cause

Jobless rate in state dips to 9.2 percent (9/17/2010)
But nonfarm jobs in Pennslyvania fall by 16,900 in August. "It's a bad report," said Mark Price, an economist for the Keystone Research Center

We must do more to cut joblessness (9/14/2010)
Letter to the Editor asking for a jobs bill from the federal government to reduce unemployment.

Search for coverage (9/6/2010)
How to find affordable health care after a job loss.

Single mom stays afloat despite grim job picture (9/6/2010)
While politicians have been using each month’s unemployment statistics to beat each other senseless, Laurie Riggs has made a full-time job of trying not to be one.

U.S. Lost 54,000 Jobs in August; Rate Rose to 9.6% (9/3/2010)
The new unemployment report came out today and it wasn't good.

[NJ Education Commissioner] Schundler requested firing instead of resignation so he can collect unemployment (9/1/2010)
Last week, New Jersey's Education Commissioner resigned after acknowledging that he screwed up a grant application that cost the state $400 million in federal funds for education.  Several days later, he back-tracked, asking the Governor to fire him, instead, so he could collect Unemployment Compensation benefits.

Philly 99ers (8/9/2010)
The recent extension of benefits did not apply to people who have reached their 99 weeks of unemployment compensation. Philly-area 99ers and Philadelphia Unemployment Project advocates speak about exhausting unemployment benefits.

Jobless and Staying that Way (8/8/2010)
Is long-term and high unemployment the new normal?

Tough Time for Job Hunt (8/8/2010)
If one word could adequately describe the incredibly complex economic climate of the country today, it would be "uncertainty."

99 Weeks Later, Jobless Have Only Desperation(8/2/2010)
The New York Times takes a look at the struggles of the 99-ers

A way to work (8/1/2010)
The Way to Work program in Pennsylvania has been very successful for both employers and employees in creating jobs.

The Value of Extending Unemployment Benefits (7/20/2010)
A report by NELP on NPR about the value of unemployment benefits.

Senate gets 60 votes to block Republican fillibuster and pass unemployment compensation extension (7/21/2010)
The New York Times reports that the Senate Democrats, with the help of a few Republicans and Independents, passed an extension for unemployment compensation by a 60-40 vote.

Corbett avoids addressing Congressional extension of unemployment compensation (7/20/2010)
The Times Leader reports that after a week of being slammed for suggesting Pennsylvanians would rather get unemployment then go to work, Corbett evades discussion of the pending federal extension of unemployment benefits.

Onorato charges Corbett with "blaming the victim" (7/20/2010)
The Pitsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Onorato has gained political leverage by being on the right side of the unmployment compensation debate, while Corbett has blamed jobless Pennsylvanians for taking benefits instead of getting jobs.

Rendell blasts Corbett for insensitive comments targeted at jobless Pennsylvanians (7/19/2010)
According to Pennlive.com, Rendell calls Corbett "out of touch" with the every day struggles of ordinary Pensylvanians.

Jobless Pennsylvanians face financial struggles that Corbett doesn't understand (7/18/2010)
Reporter Joseph Mistick of the Pittsburgh Tribune argues that living on unemployment compensation is no easy way out, and that the unemployed want nothing more than to get their jobs back.