In the News

Taiwan in August – Unemployment at 4.08 percent, 14-year low

As the economy continued to improve, Taiwan’s unemployment fell to 4.08 percent in August, the lowest level for that month in 14 years, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS,主計總處) said Monday. The figure for August represents a monthly increase of 0.06 percentage points but a drop of 0.25 points year-on-year, according to … Continue reading →

US – More than 20% laid off the past five years are still unemployed study finds

More than 20% of Americans laid off the past five years are still unemployed and one in four who found work is in a temporary job, according to a survey out Monday. The report underscores that despite a sharp drop in long-term unemployment recently, many people out of work at least six months are still … Continue reading →

Study or Train Abroad in EU -It strengthens key skills highly valued by employers study finds

Young people who study or train abroad not only gain knowledge in specific disciplines, but also strengthen key transversal skills which are highly valued by employers. A new study on the impact of the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange programme shows that graduates with international experience fare much better on the job market. They are … Continue reading →

High on Marijuana at Work in US – Nearly 10 percent go to work high, study finds

A new report has found nearly 1 in 10 Americans are showing up to work high on marijuana. Mashable.com conducted the survey in partnership with SurveyMonkey, and found 9.7 percent of Americans fessed up to smoking cannabis before showing up to the office. The data analyzed the marijuana and prescription drug habits of 534 Americans. What’s more, nearly … Continue reading →

China – 42.8 Percent believe the job market faces “a severe situation”

Many mainland residents may not be as confident as Premier Li Keqiang in the prospects of the job market, a survey conducted by the People’s Bank of China indicated.In the third-quarter survey carried out by the central bank with urban depositors, 42.8 per cent of residents believe the job market faces “a severe situation” while … Continue reading →

Certificates in US – Positive, significant returns research finds

The research from the center focused on certificates for programs that took one year or less to complete. Some have suggested that short-term certificates hold little value in the job market, although recent research has contradicted that notion. The forthcoming study by Di Xu and Madeline Trimble, both of whom are researchers at the Community … Continue reading →

Unemployment Benefits in US – The total value is half what it was in 2003 writes Krugman

Only 26 percent of jobless Americans are receiving any kind of unemployment benefit, the lowest level in many decades. The total value of unemployment benefits is less than 0.25 percent of G.D.P., half what it was in 2003, when the unemployment rate was roughly the same as it is now. It’s not hyperbole to say … Continue reading →

Unemployment in Netherlands – The rate falls for fourth month in a row

The Dutch unemployment rate fell for the fourth month in a row in August, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday. In total, 13,000 people found work, taking the jobless rate to 8%. Unemployment has now fallen by an average of 14,000 a month over the previous three months, the CBS said. At the … Continue reading →

US – Unemployment Claims decrease to 280,000

In the week ending September 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 280,000, a decrease of 36,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 1,000 from 315,000 to 316,000. The 4-week moving average was 299,500, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week’s revised average. … Continue reading →

World Population – 11 billion people by 2100

There are currently 7.2 billion people on the planet. We may need to make room for 11 billion. A new study in Science argues that the world’s population is likely to grow to nearly 11 billion by 2100 if current trends hold. What’s more, the global population now seems unlikely to stabilize this century. This in … Continue reading →

Wage Theft by Employers in US – At least $933 million in 2012 vs robberies ( including bank ) $341 million

Wage theft—employers’ failure to pay workers money they are legally entitled to—affects far more people than more well-known and feared forms of theft such as bank robberies, convenience store robberies, street and highway robberies, and gas station robberies. Employers steal billions of dollars from their employees each year by working them off the clock, by failing … Continue reading →

 Employment Insurance in Canada, July 2014 – Nine provinces saw decreases in the number of beneficiaries

The number of people receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in July totalled 499,300, little changed from the previous month. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of beneficiaries decreased 2.9% or 14,900. While nine provinces saw decreases in the number of beneficiaries, these declines were offset by an increase in Ontario. Notable declines in July were in British Columbia, … Continue reading →

Phrenologists and other jobs that no longer exist (video)

Microsoft – 2100 jobs cut today

Microsoft has confirmed today that 2100 employees were cut today as part of the previously announced layoffs. Of those cut, 747 were in the state of Washington with the rest occurring in offices around the world. Back in July, Microsoft said that it would cut 18,000 employees, which will cost them between $1.1bn and $1.6bn when … Continue reading →

Canada – Aging population expected to go west

Canada’s population will shift dramatically in the next half century, becoming greyer, more diverse and more concentrated in the four Western provinces. A portrait of Canada in the next 50 years shows the country’s population could reach up to 63.5 million people by 2063 compared with 35.2 million last year, Statistics Canada projections show. The … Continue reading →