Job Market Monitor
Michel Cournoyer
UK / Underemployment / More than 1m people are “part-timers”, not because they want to be, but because they cannot find anything else
In the darkest days of the financial crisis economists were predicting the unemployment toll would reach 3m. Thankfully, those fears never materialised, with joblessness peaking at around 2.7m. However, the side effect of containing the jobs figures well below 3m has resulted in swathes of people working part-time or reduced hours because they cannot find … Continue reading
Canada / Total non-farm payroll employment declined by 52,500
Total non-farm payroll employment declined by 52,500 from August to September, following six consecutive monthly increases. In September, the number of payroll employees declined in most sectors, with the largest declines in manufacturing; accommodation and food services; administrative and support services; and ‘other services.’ On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment rose by 235,400 (+1.6%), with the bulk of these … Continue reading
Canada / Ottawa Region / ‘Hangover’ from government layoffs spills beyond public sector
The negative impact of government downsizing on employee engagement is seeping beyond federal offices and into workplaces across the National Capital Region, according to a local management expert. Jaime McGillivray, a Gatineau-based director with the Canadian Management Centre, said many local residents know a friend, family member or neighbour affected by government cutbacks. The perceived … Continue reading
Wisconsin / One in five state business leaders eyes layoffs in next 6 months
Wisconsin business leaders say the state is headed in the right direction, yet one in five plans to cut staff in the next six months, the largest percentage in more than three years, according to a semi-annual survey conducted by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Twenty percent said they plan layoffs in the first half of … Continue reading
Ireland / AIB / Target of 2,500 lay-offs by 2014
ALLIED Irish Banks (AIB) has said it expects to hit its target of 2,500 lay-offs by 2014. More than 1,000 staff have left under a voluntary scheme, including early retirement, with another 700 to go by the end of December. In an interim management statement, AIB said it expects to see bad debt provisions for … Continue reading
Las Vegas / Retama / About 296 employees have received layoff notices
About 296 employees at Retama Park have received layoff notices as a Las Vegas casino company continues its quest to acquire the Selma racetrack — but that doesn’t mean hundreds will lose their jobs. Angela Cooper, director of human resources for Retama Entertainment Group, which has provided management services at the track, said the layoff … Continue reading
China / Job Interview / Job-seekers protest gynaecological tests
A medical student in China’s central Hubei province, identified by China’s Legal Daily as Xiaochun, was astounded when she was asked about her first menstruation during an interview for a civil service job. What also baffled her was a series of gynaecological exams imposed on her and other female candidates, besides the standard physical examinations … Continue reading
Malaysia / Minimum Wage / Efforts to smoothen the transition for small and middle industries are seriously lacking
Although the minimum wage law is scheduled to take effect in January 2013, the Barisan Nasional government does not seem to be particularly committed to re-imagine the Malaysian economy through wage policy reform. Efforts to smoothen the transition for small and middle industries are seriously lacking too. Minimum wage is meant to tackle several long-standing … Continue reading
US / All Time Biggest Layoffs
Hewlett-Packard It’s hard to top, or bottom, the recent mass firings by past-its-prime Silicon Valley stalwart Hewlett-Packard. The last few years have been dreadful for the computer manufacturer. Longtime CEO Carly Fiorina was shoved out the door after a disastrous merger with Compaq. Her successor Mark Hurd followed suit after a sex scandal, and his … Continue reading
Spain / Bankia cuts 6,000 jobs
Spain pushed forward on Wednesday with a major overhaul of the country’s stricken banking sector after Brussels approved EU-funded restructuring plans, and with nationalised Bankia saying it will slash 6,000 jobs and is set for a huge loss. Meanwhile the Bank of Spain delivered more bad news on the overall economy, saying country appears stuck … Continue reading
Job Search Tip / Spreading the good word about your search
It is up to you to spread the good word about your search for a new job. And it is common to want to truthfully confess your situation, however, when you do this, it often exposes your emotional baggage and other less-attractive qualities. These are four examples of how to spin your situation from truthful … Continue reading
Europe / Job search network EURES improved
The European Commission decided to improve EURES, the EU job search network in order to increase mobility of workers across Member States and contribute to the establishment of a true European labour market. The new EURES website will facilitate the contact between jobseekers and employers looking for particular skills, focus on sectors and occupations with … Continue reading
Closing the Achievement Gap
By age 3, children in low-income families have smaller vocabularies than middle-class kids of the same age. This “achievement gap” persists throughout school and culminates in lower graduation rates for children growing up in poverty. I’m not offering a magic bullet to close the achievement gap. Complex problems, unfortunately, tend to require complex solutions. But … Continue reading
France / Muslims Face Job Discrimination
A new study has revealed that French Muslims of African descent are facing discrimination in the job market, with employers are favoring Christian applicants than their Muslim peers. “Without that information, it’s impossible to understand and fix situations where citizens are being discriminated against,” Stanford political science professor David Laitin was quoted as saying by … Continue reading
Virginia and Kentucky / Southern Coal announces massive miner call backs
Southern Coal Corp. announces massive call backs and hiring of miners in Southwest Virginia, Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. The company has worked over the last month with several customers to secure coal orders to be able to save jobs as well as reopen mines closed earlier this year. Southern Coal has entered into … Continue reading
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