North Carolina loses or gains jobs in June depending on which state numbers you believe if any, July 20, 2012, Greensboro News Record Doug Clark
“The United States economy has lost more jobs than it has added since the recovery began over a year ago.”…NY Times Sept. 20, 2010.
“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″
From Doug Clark of the Greensboro News Record July 20, 2012.
“North Carolina loses or gains jobs in June, depending on which state numbers you believe, if any”
“North Carolina lost nearly 8,000 jobs in June from the previous month, the state’s Commerce Department reports this morning.”
“The unemployment rate held at 9.4 percent, but that was because the labor force decreased.
These are “smoothed” seasonally adjusted numbers.
The picture is more positive year over year, according to the Commerce news release:
“Since June 2011, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 37,000 with the Service Providing sector increasing by 38,600 and the Goods Producing sector decreasing by 1,600. The largest over-the-year increase of major industries was in Government at 13,000, followed by Education & Health Services, 12,100 and Trade, Transportation and Utilities, 9,400.”
In case you missed it, the largest increase in employment was in government … Contrary to claims of public payroll slashing.
Unfortunately, a gain of 37,000 jobs in the past year is anemic. And now we’re slipping. Obviously, this is not an encouraging report for our state.
Note: There are two sets of numbers in the report. You will see some media reports stating the state gained 16,690 jobs in June.
The news release contains these statements:
“Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased by 16,900 to 3,963,100 in June.”
And:
“The number of people employed (smoothed seasonally adjusted) decreased by 7,909 to 4,216,644 over the month …”
Here’s a BLS explanation (sort of) of smoothing. Obviously, this statistical maneuvering makes a significant difference. In the state’s numbers, we either have fewer people working but are gaining jobs, or have more people working but are losing jobs.
Please weigh in on the credibility of these numbers.
Addendum: Please see economist Dave Ribar’s helpful explanation in the comments below.”
http://www.news-record.com/blog/54431/entry/148571
Thank you Doug Clark for this factual, reality based reporting.
Citizen WElls 