All Posts Tagged With: "bureau of labor statistics"
Part time jobs for everyone!
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Sat, Dec 12 2009 | 1 Comment
Hundreds of thousands of previously full time workers who have been laid off have sought part-time work to pay the bills. In fact, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are almost two million more part time workers in the United States now than there were a year ago. Many of these people have been forced to trade the security of a hefty benefits package for a spatula and a hair net. However, if you know where to look, you may not have to trade those benefits.
“If you’re going to work part time, it’s best to work at places that consider part-time workers as integral to their success. For example, at Starbucks part-time workers hit the core of their organization, and because of that they’re going to be taken care of.” says Bob Nelson, president of Nelson Motivation, a benefits consulting firm.
Grocery stores tend to provide decent benefits packages. Some offer medical benefits, a 401(k) matching, profit-sharing and paid time off even to part time workers. These stores are also relatively recession proof so many are hiring and in some cases even expanding. If you are not into the food business, there are so many other places to go like:
1. Barnes & Noble: Part-time workers not only get a discount on purchases, but they also get transportation benefits to help them pay for getting to and from work. You only need at least 20 hours a week to qualify after only one year of employment. Benefits include: medical, dental, flexible spending, 401k matching (after 1,000 hours worked), transit benefits, paid sick days and a 30% employee discount on purchases.
2. IKEA: They are expanding their presence in America and bringing the European employee pride along for the ride. Once you get a job working 20 hours a week at IKEA, you automatically qualify for benefits without any waited time (except for the 401k). Benefits include: medical, dental, vision; 401k after six months of work. Depending on the hours worked, you may receive paid vacations.
3. Lowe’s: It looks like they want you to apply for a job there so you can “build something together.” They have flexible scheduling and there are no minimum hours per week or limitations required for collecting benefits. Benefits include: medical, dental, vision; life and short-term disability insurance; 401(k) plan with company match; prorated paid vacation, employee discounts.
4. REI: You can discounts on great gear and other products. Part-time and seasonal employees are eligible for medical coverage after just 30 days of work and they require you work at least 20 hours a week. REI covers 60%. Benefits include: medical, dental, incentive pay, retirement and profit sharing (depending on length of employment), tuition reimbursement, up to 12 weeks unpaid leave, 50% discount on REI products, 30% off miscellaneous alternate vendor products and 30% discount on trips with REI’s travel company.
5. Starbucks: This author has a close friend who almost got a job at Starbucks in the morning before her business started for the day just to receive cheap health insurance, and that was before the recession. Workers receive free beverages while at work, a 30% discount on merchandise and a free pound of coffee or box of tea to take home each week. You need three months of continuous work and at least 20 hours per week to qualify. Benefits include: medical, dental, vision; 401(k) plan with company match; paid vacation (after 12 months of employment), 30% employee discount, gym membership discounts, tuition reimbursement after 12 months of employment and free beverages while working.
6. Trader Joe’s: They won’t disclose much about their qualifications for benefits but will comment that in addition to a 10% employee discount, workers get free signature Trader Joe’s Hawaiian shirts and paid time off. We do not know how long you need to work there to get benefits, but part time workers can get up to 35 hours per week. Benefits include: medical, dental, vision; company paid retirement plan, 10% employee discount and disability insurance.
7. Wegmans: This grocery store chain is expanding throughout the Northeast now. For employees who want to take advantage of the colleges nearby, the company offers scholarships for college or continuing education. You only need 20 to 24 hours per week for one year of continuous employment to qualify for benefits. Benefits include: medical, pharmacy; 401(k) matching, paid vacations (varies by state), an option for profit sharing, employee discounts on purchases, flexible spending, scholarships, smoking cessation programs and discounted gym memberships.
8. Whole Foods: This store that prides itself in health really goes all the way. Whole Foods covers 100% of employees’ health-insurance premiums after they’ve worked 800 total hours. All employees and their spouses or eligible domestic partners also get a 20% discount on groceries. You must work 20 hours each week until you have accumulated 400 hours of tenure to qualify for benefits. Benefits include: medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, life and disability insurance, 401k, prorated paid time off, and a 20% in-store discount for employees and their spouses or eligible domestic partners. Sidenote: If you work at a Whole Foods in Los Angeles County, it is likely you will meet celebrities like Hayden Panettiere, Carrie Underwood, Hilary Duff, and Jamie Pressly. They are photographed coming out of Whole Foods by the paps a few days a week. If you do work at an LA County store, just remember to show up for work early so you can find a spot and get in. The photogs know how to crowd up a parking lot.
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Tags: transit benefits, bureau of labor statistics, employment benefits
Unemployment rate increases to 10.2%
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Fri, Nov 06 2009 | 2 Comments
Last month, the United States’ unemployment rate was 9.8%, the newest figures show that the unemployment rate has increased to 10.2% and it is the highest it has been since April of 1983. Official figures show that the country lost 190,000 jobs with the majority of the losses coming from construction, retail, and manufacturing.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that there are 15.7 million unemployed people in the country, which is up over half a million from the previous month. The number is up 8.2 million from the time the recession officially began in December 2007.
The number of people who are long-term unemployed (those who have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks) has remained pretty steady. There were 5.6 million long term unemployed people in October; meaning that 35.6% of those who are unemployed have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks.
According to the New York Times, the “underemployment” rate (part-time workers and people who have given up the job hunt altogether) is at 17.5%.
Of course this is more bad news, but it is right on track with what analysts were thinking. After all, they did say that unemployment would hit 10% by the end of the year.
There are fields that aren’t doing so badly; the health care profession has added over half a million jobs since the beginning of the recession.
Perhaps with the holiday season, some of the merchants will be hiring at least temporary workers. While temporary work isn’t the most ideal for a lot of workers, it is something that will help pay the bills for those who are cash-strapped right now.
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Tags: bureau of labor statistics, half a million, underemployment rate
The Five College Degrees you will see a good ROI on
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Thu, Oct 15 2009 | 3 Comments
In our economy, it is hard to find a job (as if I haven’t said that enough), but as someone who went to business school, I also know that some degrees are “worth” more than others. The college that you went to also matters in some cases.
Clare Kaufman from FindtheRightSchool.com compiled this list of degrees that are the best for return on investment. These are the degrees where you will earn the most in comparison to the amount you spent on the degree.
1. Master of Business Administration (MBA). This is, of course, the degree that any hard-core business person is going to get. I knew plenty of people who were going on to pursue their MBA, then again, I knew plenty of people who had simply had it with college altogether. MBA graduates see an average salary increase of 35%. The problem I have with trying to tell people to go out and get their MBA right now is that there are plenty of graduates out there who can’t find work, let alone find the kind of work that will pay their student loan bill every month.
2. Bachelor’s in Engineering. This is the top earner from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ bachelor degree list of highest earners. After getting a four year degree, an engineer can come out earning more than $50,00 per year. The highest paying fields for engineers are in the nuclear and petroleum industries. You can also expect an increase in demand for these engineers as the “green” movement really takes off.
3. Associate or Bachelor’s in Nursing. This is one of the degrees that I definitely agree with. I have a friend who graduated with a BSN and almost has all her loans paid off and she was able to buy a car. Another good thing about getting a Nursing degree is that most people can find good paying jobs right out of college and will still have several offers from different hospitals.
4. Bachelor’s in Accounting. This is a segment of the workforce that will likely bloom in the aftermath of the financial disaster. In 2007, the median salary for an accountant was just over $63,000 per year. CPAs earn a lot more at around $91,000 per year.
5. Associate degree in Computer Science. You could find yourself with some good prospects with this degree. You won’t be the highest earner in the country, but after only two years of school, you can find yourself making up to $67,000 a year as a computer administrator after working your way up the ladder.
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Tags: median salary, salary increase, bureau of labor statistics
A new crop of truckers are hitting the roads.
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Mon, Jul 13 2009 | 2 Comments
It looks like some laid off white collar workers are trading in their hopes of landing another cushy job like they once had for the life of a truck driver. A growing number have been weeding their way into trucking schools across the country, and the number gets larger every time new bad news about the economy comes out.
The reason for the increase is the relatively short amount of training time and actually fairly decent pay.
A truck driver, driving an 18 Wheeler, can earn an average of $37,560 a year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and a student can finish training in just 3 to 6 weeks. There are also only a few restrictions when it comes to getting a commercial driver’s license. You need a clean bill of health and “a decent driving record.”
Todd Hyland, Smith and Solomon owner said, “We have students come to us after spending their whole professional life in an office. Then, all of a sudden, they’re getting laid off.”
Hyland also says that the most recent students to his school are in their 40’s and 50’s and about 10 years older than what the typical students were a few years ago.
He also says that many of them don’t think that trucking is going to be their long term job.
When unemployment jumped 9.5% in June, workers became more desperate for jobs. I can see how this would lead a person to thinking that truck driving would be for them.
I have a friend that gave up college and any other career he could have done to be a truck driver and is now driving all across the country in an 18 wheeler.
I personally think that he could have done better, but with the economy the way it is right now, maybe not.
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Tags: white collar workers, 18 wheeler, cushy job
Summer jobs become scarce for teens
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Thu, Jun 18 2009 | 2 Comments
With unemployment at the high it is currently at, hovering over 9%, it seems like all those teens who have just finished the school year are having a pretty difficult time finding work.
Because there are so many adults currently looking for work, many are taking whatever they can find, including those jobs usually reserved for out of school teens.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics had a recent survey that tracked a decline in the number of teenagers that are participating in the job market this year versus last year; its down 3%.
So with the lack of work, what are teens doing? Well, it appears as though they’re forgoing the paying jobs to volunteer and do other non-paying jobs throughout the summer, if for nothing else, just to get out of the house for a few hours a day.
Some teens are even becoming entrepreneurs in their own right. Some have taken advantage of the season and started forming their own businesses for the summer, like lawn maintenance or pool cleaning. The best part of these teens starting these jobs on their own is that they can employ their friends and typically make more than minimum wage when there is work.
Right now the jobless rate for 16 to 19 year old range is 21.5%, that’s up from 15.4% in 2008. When you look at those numbers, you have to remember that only includes the teens that are actually actively seeking employment, not those who aren’t.
I know that it is still hard to find work. Living in a college town, there are always college students looking for work, add on top of that out of school teenagers, then the fact that none of the businesses do the same amount of business over the summer as they do during a semester and it’s basically a recipe for high unemployment. There are some restaurants looking for work, but it’s all only part time work and the hours are skimpy at best.
Then, there are just so many adults that have families to feed that are looking for work at the same places. If I were a manager at one of the places where teens usually go to find work, then I would be much more inclined to hire the man or woman who needs to feed their family before I hired a 16 year old who just needs to put some minutes on their pay-as-you-go phone.
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Tags: unemployment, school teenagers, part time work
