December 14, 2010 in Business, City

Spokane job numbers up, but so is unemployment

Bert Caldwell The Spokesman-Review

Spokane County’s unemployment rate increased to 8.4 percent in November despite an increase in jobs.

Employment Security Division statistics released this morning showed statewide employment was almost flat, as the unemployment rate remained at a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.2 percent.

In Spokane County, where figures are not seasonally adjusted, 224,590 workers had jobs, up about 3,500 from October, when the unemployment rate was 8.1 percent.

But the labor force increased by almost 5,000 between October and November.

The unemployment rate was also 8.4 percent in November 2009, when 220,480 had jobs.

The national unemployment rate for November was 9.8 percent.

39 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

hawken on December 14 at 12:27 p.m.
Why should people get a job when they’re paid to stay at home on unemployment? Which will apparently, now be extended another 12-13 months. Totally, some three years of unemployment benefits at the tax payer’s expense.
People start getting serious about finding a job when they know their unemployment is about to run out.
The Democrats are enabling unemployment. The Republicans have apparently caved in to this nonsense and are going along.
I actually hope that Pelosi blocks this whole agreement between Obama, the Republicans and the Senate. We can clean up the mess, starting in a few weeks when we have more conservative Republicans coming to work.
><(((*> on December 14 at 1:06 p.m.
Why should people get a job when they’re paid to stay at home on unemployment?
The majority of people don’t enjoy barely getting by on almost nothing with no benefits.
Also,
the increase in jobs is not broken down into what jobs. 100 of the jobs healthcare? 100 of the jobs plubers/electricians?
The real problem is and has been for decades is LACK of a skilled labor force.
There was never a day when there “were no jobs”. There’s just a lot of jobs out of reach for people without the right education or training. (which of course we cut first during economic troubles…)
Dazzeetrader11 on December 14 at 1:07 p.m.
Bert..224 K jobs in Spokane County? How many people live there now?? I thought 400 K people. The data would indicate more that nearly 55% of the poplulation is working in the county! How is it possible? Is the data wrong?..or is the 400K figure very now?
And I agree with Hawk….forget this “deal” in the Senate right now. We need to toughen up. It’ll hurt and it’s not wise in this high unemployment climate. Something in between might be better. Right now, too much pork and special projects have been attached. It’s a bad deal for America.
Obama’s trying to save himself….at the expense of the people. Sorry Barack…ur done.
><(((*> on December 14 at 1:19 p.m.
Not everyone that lives in Spokane County has a job in that county.
Children, Stay at home Parent, Elderly on retirement. People that work in other counties may not be part of this number for jobs as the other counties would have that information.
I’m sure there are many reasons.
liarsinnews on December 14 at 1:23 p.m.
I wonder if I can sign up for unemployment? How utterly ridiculous continuing to pay people not to work. Seems to me the taxpayers are on the hook for much more money as the idiot elected officials keep digging the hole deeper.
hawken on December 14 at 1:34 p.m.
phantomsilence
Let me give you a personal example about training and jobs….
I’m early, semi-retired, by choice and ability.
No government income, no government retirement. Only, because of many years of hard work and being highly educated. I paid for my education personally, with my own money, working part and full time along with a football scholarship out of high school for my BA in management.
Having been semi-retired, I work when I want and do what I want. Now, I am ready to do something new, in part, to relieve my boredom.
Therefore, sometime after the first of the year, I’m going to drive a tow-truck for a while. Only, because I want to drive a tow truck. And, only because I am a bit bored.
Initially, I’ll get paid minimum wage for two weeks of training. Then, I will be paid 30% of the tow bill, for each tow. Nothing even close to what I am accustomed to earning in a year.
Here’s the point. I will be overqualified to drive a tow truck prior to two weeks of training. I am not trained to drive a tow truck (even though I am a licensed pilot and can fly an airplane). But there are jobs available for tow truck drivers,,,, as well as other jobs that are available to overqualified people such as me.
As for those who are under qualified for any given job, none are under qualified to drive a tow truck if they have a valid driver’s license…. or any number of other jobs.
If people are not qualified as plumbers, electricians, or health care workers, there are jobs available for tow truck drivers, convenience store clerks and assistant managers, bus drivers at the school districts and a myriad of other such jobs.
Overqualified or under qualified is not the problem in most cases, in order to get a job.
The larger problem is…. “why should people go to work when they get paid to say at home?”
Shut down the new, seemingly, never ending, unemployment entitlement and many will go back to work. Out of necessity.
lewis8457 on December 14 at 1:52 p.m.
my brother has been on unemployment for 3 years while his wife
brings home 80,000+ a year. he uses the unemployment on his custom cars.
he makes more on unemployment then i do working. if anyone bothered to do a means test this kind of travesty would be discovered.
easy to do use SSI numbers to see what their household income is.
zelda on December 14 at 2:36 p.m.
What matters most are the quality of the jobs and the job mix. And let me just add that having a BA in management doesn’t meet a lot of people’s definition of “highly educated.”
><(((*> on December 14 at 2:40 p.m.
“phantomsilence
Let me give you a personal example about training and jobs…”
how about i just skip over that anecdotal garbage you blather while spouting about yourself so you can impress other commentators.
i am certain you post the same nonsense every forum to stop by.
hawken on December 14 at 3:21 p.m.
Zelda…. BA, MBA, Masters of Science, Ph.D…. does that qualify?
hawken on December 14 at 3:25 p.m.
“phantomsilence I have no need, nor desire to impress anyone… what others think of me, other than my family and friends, is really of no importance to me. Take it as you will.
mikeln on December 14 at 3:36 p.m.
You want government off your back, yet you want them to track peoples income to make sure they are not getting somthing they don’t deserve? Whichever the way the wind blows for you conservitive types, huh.
hawken on December 14 at 3:44 p.m.
mikeln
Apparently, you must be one of the 45% in this country that doesn’t pay Federal income tax at all.
Otherwise, you would already know they are tracking every cent we make.
Diana on December 14 at 3:47 p.m.
My 53 year old neighbor worked at the same place for 30 years and lost his job when it went out of business.
Yeah, he loves not working and raking in $200 a week. He doesn’t mind not being able to pay his rent, bills and take care of his family. His wife has MS, but they lost their insurance when he lost his job. He can’t afford a car, so he gets on the bus everyday and applies for everything he can find.
He paid into the system for 33 years and was thrust into the unemployment scenario through no fault of his own. No American dream for him.
I don’t understand why the unemployed are blamed and not the people who caused the economic meltdown.
pseeger on December 14 at 3:58 p.m.
Hawken, how do you find any time for yourself, what with all the charitable work, tow-truck driving, and airplane-flying? Can you please give the self-serving right-wing “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps like I did” nonsense a rest here? THAT would be a good deed!
eagleproducer on December 14 at 4:01 p.m.
I don’t see anything in any of the agreements that extend unemployment benefits beyond the 99 week threshold. All it does is extend the extensions to those who currently are claiming benefits. It does not grant anyone benefits past the 99 weeks.
Diana: The reason people blame the unemployed is because they don’t have a voice in the media or lobbyists. It’s easy to pick on the poor. It’s what cowards do because they don’t have the nerve, wits or backbone to confront those who are to blame.
With the wealth in the U.S. there is not one reason why we don’t enjoy full employment other than concentrated wealth that won’t allow it.
EdubU on December 14 at 4:01 p.m.
Where are the jobs Mr McConnell and Mr Boehner???
hawken on December 14 at 4:02 p.m.
Diana
Your neighbor is doing the right thing. He’s actually looking for a job.
May his tribe increase!
Diana on December 14 at 4:11 p.m.
Yes, hawken, and his unemployment is about to run out in a few weeks.
Oh well, I suppose the next step is homelessness. Too bad for that family, huh?
hawken on December 14 at 4:19 p.m.
pseeger
“Pulling yourself up from the bootstraps”…. works. It’s called the American Dream. Anyone with determination, perseverance and a willingness to work hard and sacrifice can do it. Anyone.
Holding out a “tin cup” to the government is self-submission to slavery.
It’s might not be too late for you.
The first thing you’ll need to adjust is your expectation that the government will care for you from cradle to grave. Look around. That doesn’t work very well. Does it.
Otherwise, bow to your master, the nanny state, government.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
hawken on December 14 at 4:24 p.m.
Diana
Tell him that he probably doesn’t have to worry. This man should be encouraged. He’s actually trying to find work.
The Republicans, the Senate and the President have all agreed to extend unemployment.
If he looses his unemployment, it’s the fault of the Pelosi commune. Everyone else is on board with the agreement.
pseeger on December 14 at 4:29 p.m.
Hawken, you know my politics, but don’t presume that you know my personal history. Unlike you, I haven’t felt it necessary to post my resumé here. And here’s a word to the wise: your condescension to those with a different worldview is increasingly tiresome.
hawken on December 14 at 4:33 p.m.
pseeger
Doesn’t seem to be tiresome to you. You seem to be able to muster an attack response when I disagree with your post.
In fact, you see to be able to muster an attack response when I don’t even address you.
Looks like the problem here is yours, not mine.
Here’s a recommendation…. when you see “hawken” as the poster…. just scroll down to the next poster.
finman84 on December 14 at 4:45 p.m.
An earlier blogger wrote “People start getting serious about finding a job when they know their unemployment is about to run out.”
I have been unemployed since July. I have been putting in numerous job applications- yet the one thing you fail to realize is how swamped HR professionals are when they put out a job posting. I talked with one store manager the other night, and he said that when they advertise a job for stocking shelves, they get about 500 applications. Let’s not even discuss higher paying jobs in offices.
The problem is that it is now a buyer’s market for the employer- they can pick and choose who they want and they have become even more selective. The other problem is evident if you have seen the want-ads where there are jobs to be sure- if you are highly trained (such as a nurse, NAC, engineer). Then, employers are falling all over themselves to hire you.
In short, it is not a question of trying, it is a question of getting a response. The job market in Spokane is like clapping with one hand. You can put forward all the effort you want, but unless there is someone on the receiving end who wants to hire you at a living wage, all you are doing is expending effort and not making any progress. Even so, with a Bachelor of Science degree (and a Master’s degree coming in 2012), I am going to keep trying and hope someone wants someone with 9 years of data entry and customer service experience as well as being a disabled OIF vet.
hawken on December 14 at 5:18 p.m.
finman84
Have you tried the tow truck companies, the convenience stores? Or, any number of other businesses currently hiring?
Rhetorical question of course. I understand that you don’t want to work for less than you can make from unemployment.
The point is that you are being subsidized by the American taxpayer. Not the government. The government has no money but that which comes from the American taxpayer.
Once unemployment is no longer available, you will get a job of some kind. If for no other reason, out of necessity.
Unemployment compensation should not be a never ending entitlement.
Times are tough, no doubt. Still, there is work available.
zelda on December 14 at 5:25 p.m.
Hawken — Well educated, hmm — depends on where you got those degrees.
Here’s what the American Dream means to most people. It’s a lottery ticket. They tolerate, even accept, huge inequalities on the mistaken notion that everyone in this country has an equal shot at getting rich. It’s a mass delusion abetted by the rhetoric that if you’re not rich, it’s your own damn fault.
And, in case you’re wondering, I’m not a socialist. I’m a realist.
finman84 on December 14 at 5:42 p.m.
Hawken,
Let’s be clear- I don’t like being on unemployment. I actually derive an intrinsic benefit from working and feeling appreciated for what I do. It is a blow to my ego (what little there is left) as well as my self esteem to be in the position I am in.
In terms of the jobs you described, if it were only that easy. I don’t have a tow truck license, nor do I own one, nor am I mechanically inclined. Even so, a lot of places I have applied tell me the same thing- either I am overqualified, or do not possess the experience and skills they are looking for. As easy as it is to throw occupations out there, referring back to my earlier comments- for every job opening there are several hundred applicants who want the same thing- that position. Even in the best of all worlds where there may be jobs out there, the employers that I have spoken with are being picky and therein lies the problem. One would think that with all of the people out there who are unemployed there would be a fair amount of those who are pounding the pavement trying to fix their situation. It is disingenuous to assume that because someone is drawing unemployment, they enjoy doing so and are not making efforts to correct their situation. Your comments give the impression that EVERYONE who is drawing is lazy, unmotivated, or unwilling to look. That is a dangerous assumption. I have my pride ok? Right now, I am pulling a 4.00 GPA in my Master’s program with the hope that when I graduate that I will find a job. Does that sound like I am being lazy? Previous to that I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration- Summa Cum Laude and a 3.98 GPA. Does that sound like I am being lazy? Unmotivated perhaps? No. The point I am making is simple. There is a part of the demographic that fits the description you provide- and I agree with you about those people. However, you cannot make the generalization that just because people are drawing unemployment in general- that they all fall into that category, because we don’t. Otherwise, how do you explain the hundreds of people who are applying for jobs in this town and are rejected because they are not the best candidate. To further illustrate- before this financial crisis- the ratio of job seekers to jobs in Spokane was about 1.8 to 1- which is pretty good if you are looking. Now, it is about 4 to 1. So, it again is not a question of not trying, it is a question of getting a response- for even in those jobs you mention employers are picky too.
eagleproducer on December 14 at 6:30 p.m.
zelda: The Social Darwinists have won? I’m not so sure I’ll concede that victory yet, but I do strongly agree with your point about mass self-delusion. The entire system of capitalism is built upon it.
zelda on December 14 at 6:30 p.m.
finman84 — I wish you the best of luck. Sincerely. But people like Hawken believe that you should ante-up, double-down, risk it all and prove your self-worth by starting your own business. This is in keeping with Spokane’s casino-based economy (literally and figuratively). If you fail, it means that you’re a lousy gambler. Yup, the region’s entire economic philosophy comes from a Kenny Rogers song.
eagleproducer on December 14 at 6:35 p.m.
hawken: I’m still waiting for you to provide proof unemployment is extended beyond 99 weeks.
http://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/Federal_Unemployment_Insurance_Extensions.htm
From the report: “It is important to note that the current reported agreement to be considered by Congress does not contain any additional weeks of extended benefits, so the maximum total remains up to 99 weeks of benefits.”
finman84 on December 14 at 6:36 p.m.
Thanks Zelda. It is hard to start a business in this town without capital, and especially customers. I agree on the casino-based economy and I even applied for a position there- same result- overqualified. Employers feel if you have that degree, they need to pay you at a level acceptable for that degree. I know people that have Master’s degrees who are leaving that fact off of their resumes just because potential employers will use that against them and justify that as a reason not to hire them. The only thing I can do is to keep looking and hope that the job forecast brightens by October at the latest.
hawken on December 14 at 6:56 p.m.
finman84
I’m not accusing you of being lazy. As for driving a tow truck, as an example only, all you need is a valid driver’s license.
My larger point is that jobs are available… albeit, requiring much less qualified people than you.
My secondary point is that it’s the American taxpayer who is working, in very tough times, that subsidizes the never ending unemployment benefits.
At some point (long past in my view), unemployment benefits must stop. There is not a bottomless pit from which taxpayer money can be seized by the government.
The real solution in this mess is to grow the economy and produce more jobs.
Once taxes have been lowered, and business can actually put in place a business plan for more than 2 yrs, jobs will follow.
Kennedy proved it
Reagan proved it
Bush II proved it.
Until we take an axe to big government spending and enable business to plan to grow… unemployment will not change much at all.
Another major issue with this economy is that small business and corporations do not trust Obama. They see him as “anti business” at his core.
Right or wrong, true of false, actual or perceived,,,, that’s the assessment of business concerning Obama. This, accompanied with a lack of demand for products and services is the reason that small business and corporations are sitting on record amounts of cash reserves.
CEOs have a fiduciary responsibility to be profitable. They are accountable to their stock holders. Stock holders who are average Americans whom have invested their money, their 401k retirement accounts and the future of their families in those corporations.
Until corporations and small business can better plan for the future, get government off their back with higher taxes and excessive regulation, they will sit on those massive, cash reserves.
Business exists to make a profit. Sitting on massive cash reserves is a “defensive” mode.
This great recession has been ongoing for over two years with no immediate end in sight. The longest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. FDR, far left, polices, extended the Great Depression by 7 Years according to a study done by UCLA economists.
http://www.mrc.org/bmi/articles/2008/UCLA_Economists_Government_Intervention_Prolonged_Great_Depression.html
The hyper-left policies of Obama are tracking the same course as FDR.
None of this is “my opinion.” It’s a matter of current reality and history.
Scoutster on December 14 at 7:19 p.m.
Although we disagree on “facts”, I do agree that this new, less acerbic Hawken has a point that needs to be discussed: how long, and how, do we support the unemployed?
The notion of just cutting them off does, indeed, solve the problem of paying for unemployment insurance for extended periods.
It creates new problems of what do to about millions of adults, many post-40, with no jobs and no marketable skills in this job market.
Sounds like a recipe for social unrest.
This will emerge as a campaign issue in 2012.
nitro71 on December 14 at 8:25 p.m.
You don’t want social unrest in a armed and dangerous America. I don’t know why our country is so greedy and misguided that we won’t impose trade tarrifs and bring manufacturing back. Anyone who thinks the unemployed are not looking for work is crazy. There are not enough jobs to go around. It’s not a matter of seeking employment below you. Those same low paying jobs have dozens of people applying for them. To many people and not enough jobs. If we end unemployment we will have 1000’s of people living in the streets with no home in Spokane. Not very Christian or a smart way to keep our society together. Those unemployment benifets get spent and go back into the economy. Sorta a stimulus program. I’m all for having people work to get their unemployment. Would increase overhead but give people something to do.
hawken on December 14 at 8:41 p.m.
nitro71
Consider this.
Business does not exist to provide you or anyone else a job.
Entrepreneurs do not risk all they have to provide you a job.
Government does not produce jobs. They simply take money out of the economy in the form of taxes, and then, transfer that money to the expansion of government.
Businesses, exist to make a profit, as I have previously stated, which you might not have seen.
When entrepreneurs can plan of a reasonable profit, they will grow their business and hire employees.
Small business, entrepreneurs produce about 70% of the jobs in this country.
Your world view and others on the left are antithetical to this reality.
lewis8457 on December 14 at 10:19 p.m.
those that say jobs are available are correct there are some job out there. the real problem is the job gets 300 applicant so resume writing has become more important. with the increase in applicants a manager has to have the a ability to scan resumes to find that one applicant, and if he doesn’t have that ability….well?.
another problem is there is so many people unemployed the employer can hold out for that one guy he wants, and he will find him easily.
I looked for 3 years and finally gave up. Lucky i had apart time job and that now is my only job. Being disabled i went to Washington state vocational back in august to see if they could help. They told me since i was so mentally retarded i could not be trained for anything. Funny thing is my disability is in my spine. I know Bits and Gramma will get a kick out of that one, true story. and so they sent me to SSI to get my disability but since my income is 1050 a month I did not qualify. according to the fed if you make over 1000 a month your gainfully employed. The state then recommended i get unemployed and go on welfare that i guess is the fastest track to the SSI disability if being honest doesn’t work.
so my idea? lower all unemployment to 1000 a month. My rich brother is pulling in 2200 a month going on 3 years now.
zelda on December 14 at 10:29 p.m.
I can’t for the life of me see why businesses would hire anybody now or in the future as a full-time direct employee. The implosion of 2007/08 provided perfect cover for them to ax expensive employees from their payrolls and eliminate the legacy costs.
From a purely (and justifiably) cynical point of view, it seems like businesses should be able to perform in a spectacular fashion from here on. They can hire people on an as-needed basis, don’t have to foot the bill for health insurance and can run their businesses with a workforce that’s nearly all contingency labor.
As for taxes, the fact is that most large businesses — given that they know enough to hire smart MBAs and attorneys — end up paying no taxes once all the sleight of hand is applied to the P&L and balance sheet.
And yet they complain that the tax rate for businesses should be lower. If it were lowered to 10%, they’d say it should be 5%. If it were 5%, they’d complain that 2% would be better, etc., etc.
Corporations justify the off-shoring of jobs by saying that the U.S. tax rate is stifling. But other countries offer American companies tax holidays. How do you compete with zero taxes? You can’t. At the end of the day, the only taxes business thinks iare “fair” are zero taxes.
Dazzeetrader11 on December 14 at 11:25 p.m.
There is plenty of data that clearly shows that when unemployments is running out, people get busy and find jobs.
Trouble is that all…and I mean ALL that data come from a time when there were jobs to go to.
This is a different time. If you’re lucky, you might get a gocernment job…which is the last job I’d take. Doesn’t matter what job I take if I need to take care of a family, parents, etc.
What’s so painful is to see how much Banks and Wall St have made with our money. WHo gave it to them and relaxed the rules more than they were ( which were VERY relaxed) Bush gave some..but Obama opened up our tax money coffers and gave it away. The FED….again our money..opened up to its friends and gave trillions away. Again…Bernanke and Obama. How long will you be fooled by these pretenders….?
I’ve made a lot of money…and continue to make a lot money…I just hate this thing that’s going on. It’s like being powerless to fix things! The government takes our money and, even though we don’t like their bills, ignores the people and does whatever they want regarless of the wishes of the public who pays their salaries. Craziest thing I’ve ever seen.
We really do need a major overhaul of the system. I don’t like the tea party…but I’m wondering if I’m slow to the dance. Right or left…both sides being abandoned. I hope Nov 2011 gets here quickly. We have a lousy president (a peakcock), we had a lousy president hwo “knew” better, we’ve got a lousy bunch of governors…all with ambitions…and Spokane has the goofiest green liberal dem mayor in memory. I’d get rid of all of them.
SOMEBODYINSPOKANE on December 15 at 10:14 a.m.
Hawkin let me tell you about about one person who is on unemployment and can’t find a job. I worked hard all my young life, paid for my own schooling, had an excellent job I loved and would have worked there forever…. they left for Manila and people who will work for 3.00 an hour. Thank you Virgin Mobile for selling out and going over seas! OVER 400 jobs Thru NO fault of my own MY job was gone.
I have some big gaps in my employment history because i cared for 4 children and then my parents as they died of cancer and old age. I am 51 years old. This makes it very hard to find a job in Spokane. I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of jobs this last two years… I applied for volunteer jobs so I could at least say I had a job on my resume……. turns out thousands of others had the same idea so I could not get even a NON PAYING JOB!
Not everyone is sitting on unemployment getting less then 800 dollars a month and saying GOD I LOVE UNEMPLOYMENT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO NOTHING BECAUSE I AM SO POOR.
I would work in a heartbeat if someone offered me a job… I would work as a cashier in a small store even thou i have two certs in customer service and business communications! None of the cashier jobs or child care jobs will even look at me because i am way over qualified and I am 51 years old and they have 3000 plus younger women applying for the same jobs I am.
Wanna fix this problem don’t sit and complain about unemployed slackers and how they love living in poverty…. find a way to make jobs in our state that won’t be sent over seas to cheaper labor costs. Bank jobs are getting ready to leave this country people….. people in India will have access to your banking info… think about it.