LABOR SECRETARY PEREZ ISSUES STATEMENT ON 2013 VETERANS EMPLOYMENT REPORT

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
Statement by US Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on veterans' employment

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today issued the following statement regarding the release of the 2013 Employment Situation of Veterans report by the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics:

"Today's veterans' employment report for 2013 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows an encouraging drop in overall veterans' unemployment from 7 percent in 2012 to 6.6 percent. It included a significant reduction in 2013 unemployment for women veterans from 8.3 percent in 2012 to 6.9 percent in 2013 and a decrease from 9.9 percent to 9 percent for all Gulf War-era II veterans.

"Our nation's veterans and their families have made countless sacrifices on behalf of our nation. Who deserves opportunity more than those who have put their lives on the line defending it?

"Veterans have the skills that employers are looking for. They make our nation's workforce more productive, our companies more profitable and our economy more competitive. Smart businesses recruit veterans because it's in their self-interest, because they know it's a sound investment in their bottom line.
"At the Labor Department, we are working hard to help veterans and military service members as they transition to the civilian workforce. We provide priority services for veterans through more than 2,500 American Job Centers across the country. We have also launched an online tool, My Next Move for Veterans, where veterans and transitioning service members can enter their military occupation code and discover civilian occupations for which they are well qualified. We also announced this past summer a new regulation encouraging companies that do business with the federal government to focus on hiring more veterans.
"This report shows that the private and public sectors are making progress on veterans' employment. But much more needs to be done. I urge all employers to renew their commitment to veterans, so that those who served and sacrificed can realize their highest dreams. The best way to honor our veterans is to hire them."

STATEMENT BY LABOR SECRETARY PEREZ REGARDING DECEMBER EMPLOYMENT

FROM:  LABOR DEPARTMENT 

Statement of Labor Secretary Perez on December employment numbers
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the December 2013 Employment Situation report released today:
"The U.S. economy closed out 2013 by adding 74,000 jobs, bringing the 2013 total to nearly 2.2 million new jobs. With 87,000 new private-sector jobs in December, that makes 8.2 million jobs created by the private sector over the last 46 straight months. The December unemployment rate fell to 6.7 percent.

"The economy continues to recover, but we are clearly not out of the woods. Far too many Americans are still struggling to find jobs and secure a foothold in the middle class. Long-term unemployment in particular remains a persistent challenge, stuck at a staggering high: 3.9 million Americans, representing 37.7 percent of all unemployed workers, have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks.
"I've met recently with many of them — hard-working Americans who, despite their most diligent efforts, have just been unable to find work, some for as long as a few years. Their lives are a daily struggle, as they rapidly deplete their savings and face looming foreclosure on their homes. One woman described keeping her thermostat at 58 degrees, wearing a coat and hat around the house, to cut back on heating costs. They are not lazy or complacent; they want nothing more than the dignity of work. But they're caught in a terrifying spiral: the longer you've been out of a job, the harder it is to get a job.

"To give them the immediate relief they so badly need, the first order of business for Congress is to pass an extension of emergency unemployment benefits that expired on Dec. 28 for 1.3 million people. It's the right thing to do to extend a lifeline to fellow Americans down on their luck, and it's the smart thing to do to stimulate the economy.

"But we need to go beyond stopgap measures. The best way to help unemployed Americans is to create jobs and grow the economy at a faster clip. Last month's bipartisan budget deal demonstrated that members of Congress can muster the will to agree on constructive solutions to tough problems. In that same spirit, they must now get to work on the middle-class jobs agenda put forward by President Obama. Let's resolve in the New Year to fix our broken immigration system, invest in education and skills development, rebuild our infrastructure, increase the minimum wage and take other steps to create and expand opportunity for the American people."

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 31, 2013

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending August 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 323,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 332,000. The 4-week moving average was 328,500, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 331,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending August 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 24 was 2,951,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,994,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,979,500, a decrease of 18,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,997,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 268,843 in the week ending August 31, a decrease of 9,781 from the previous week. There were 309,537 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending August 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,749,880, a decrease of 76,868 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,826,748. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,085,324.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 17 was 4,395,712, a decrease of 72,061 from the previous week. There were 5,470,041 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending August 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,249 in the week ending August 24, an increase of 145 from the prior week. There were 2,303 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 139 from the preceding week.

There were 20,831 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending August 17, a decrease of 252 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,754, a decrease of 24 from the prior week.

States reported 1,494,742 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending August 17, a decrease of 16,877 from the prior week. There were 2,263,614 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending August 24 were in Puerto Rico (4.5), New Jersey (3.6), Alaska (3.4), Connecticut (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.2), California (3.1), New Mexico (3.1), Rhode Island (2.9), Virgin Islands (2.8), Illinois (2.7), Nevada (2.7), and New York (2.7).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 24 were in New York (+3,568), Georgia (+903), Connecticut (+604), Michigan (+546), and Nevada (+388), while the largest decreases were in California (-2,544), Missouri (-1,713), Kansas (-915), Texas (-754), and New Jersey (-658).

STATEMENT BY LABOR SECRETARY PEREZ ON FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES RESULTS FOR 2012

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
Statement by Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on fatal occupational injuries in 2012

WASHINGTON — Preliminary results from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released today show a reduction in the number of fatal work injuries in 2012 compared with 2011. Last year, 4,383 workers died from work-related injuries, down from a final count of 4,693 fatal work injuries in 2011. Based on preliminary counts, the rate of fatal workplace injuries in 2012 was 3.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, down from a rate of 3.5 per 100,000 in 2011. In response, Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement:

"Workers in this country have the right to return home safe and healthy at the end of a work day. Despite that right, poor safety conditions cause thousands of people each year to lose their lives at work.

"I am greatly encouraged by the reduction in workplace fatalities, even in a growing economy. It is a testament to the hard work of employers, unions, health and safety professionals and the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration. Through collaborative education and outreach efforts, and effective law enforcement, these numbers indicate that we are absolutely moving in the right direction.

"But to me these aren't just numbers and data — they are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, who will never come home again.

"We can and must do better. Job gains in oil and gas and construction have come with more fatalities, and that is unacceptable. That's why OSHA has undertaken a number of outreach and educational initiatives, including a campaign to prevent falls in construction and the National Voluntary Stand Down of U.S. Onshore Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, co-sponsored by oil and gas industry employers and planned for Nov. 14. Employers must take job hazards seriously and live up to their legal and moral obligation to send their workers home safe every single day. The Labor Department is committed to preventing these needless deaths, and we will continue to engage with employers to make sure that these fatality numbers go down further.

"No worker should lose their life for a paycheck."

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT FOR WEEKENDING JULY 27, 2013

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending August 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 333,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 328,000. The 4-week moving average was 335,500, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 341,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending July 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 27 was 3,018,000, an increase of 67,000 from the preceding week's unrevised level of 2,951,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,023,750, a decrease of 2,250 from the preceding week's unrevised average of 3,026,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 286,738 in the week ending August 3, an increase of 5,285 from the previous week. There were 320,219 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending July 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,954,988, an increase of 27,804 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,927,184. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,242,883.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending July 20 was 4,520,948, a decrease of 174,418 from the previous week. There were 5,750,327 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program the week ending July 20.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,149 in the week ending July 27, a decrease of 130 from the prior week. There were 2,205 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 17 from the preceding week.

There were 20,596 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 20, an increase of 588 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 34,312, a decrease of 698 from the prior week.

States reported 1,516,275 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending July 20, a decrease of 48,242 from the prior week. There were 2,412,938 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 20 were in Puerto Rico (4.9), New Jersey (3.7), Alaska (3.5), Connecticut (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.3), New Mexico (3.1), California (3.0), Nevada (2.9), Illinois (2.8), New York (2.8), Rhode Island (2.8), and Virgin Islands (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 27 were in Idaho (+264), Wisconsin (+179), South Dakota (+115), Arkansas (+90), and Hawaii (+61), while the largest decreases were in California (-21,479), Michigan (-8,647), Missouri (-3,208), Georgia (-2,951), and Texas (-2,782).

LABOR STATISTICS FOR JULY 2012

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Latest Numbers Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims: 365,000 as of July 28, 2012
Unemployment Rate: 8.3% in July 2012
Consumer Price Index: Unchanged in June 2012
Payroll Employment: +163,000 (p) in July 2012
Average Hourly Earnings: +$0.02(p) in July 2012
Producer Price Index: +0.1%(p) in June 2012

Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjustedHOUSEHOLD DATA
Summary table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted
[Numbers in thousands]

Category	July 2011	May 2012	June 2012	July 2012	Change from: June 2012- July 2012
Employment status
Civilian noninstitutional population	239,671	242,966	243,155	243,354	199
Civilian labor force	153,358	155,007	155,163	155,013	-150
Participation rate	64.0	63.8	63.8	63.7	-0.1
Employed	139,450	142,287	142,415	142,220	-195
Employment-population ratio	58.2	58.6	58.6	58.4	-0.2
Unemployed	13,908	12,720	12,749	12,794	45
Unemployment rate	9.1	8.2	8.2	8.3	0.1
Not in labor force	86,313	87,958	87,992	88,340	348
Unemployment rates
Total, 16 years and over	9.1	8.2	8.2	8.3	0.1
Adult men (20 years and over)	8.9	7.8	7.8	7.7	-0.1
Adult women (20 years and over)	7.9	7.4	7.4	7.5	0.1
Teenagers (16 to 19 years)	24.9	24.6	23.7	23.8	0.1
White	8.1	7.4	7.4	7.4	0.0
Black or African American	15.9	13.6	14.4	14.1	-0.3
Asian (not seasonally adjusted)	7.7	5.2	6.3	6.2	-
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity	11.3	11.0	11.0	10.3	-0.7
Total, 25 years and over	7.8	6.9	6.9	6.9	0.0
Less than a high school diploma	14.9	13.0	12.6	12.7	0.1
High school graduates, no college	9.3	8.1	8.4	8.7	0.3
Some college or associate degree	8.2	7.9	7.5	7.1	-0.4
Bachelor's degree and higher	4.3	3.9	4.1	4.1	0.0
Reason for unemployment
Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs	8,146	6,989	7,207	7,123	-84
Job leavers	936	891	936	878	-58
Reentrants	3,424	3,439	3,227	3,380	153
New entrants	1,274	1,367	1,331	1,311	-20
Duration of unemployment
Less than 5 weeks	2,675	2,580	2,810	2,711	-99
5 to 14 weeks	3,063	3,002	2,826	3,092	266
15 to 26 weeks	1,972	1,662	1,811	1,760	-51
27 weeks and over	6,162	5,411	5,370	5,185	-185
Employed persons at work part time
Part time for economic reasons	8,437	8,098	8,210	8,246	36
Slack work or business conditions	5,695	5,147	5,446	5,342	-104
Could only find part-time work	2,538	2,649	2,514	2,576	62
Part time for noneconomic reasons	18,280	19,393	18,829	18,866	37
Persons not in the labor force (not seasonally adjusted)
Marginally attached to the labor force	2,785	2,423	2,483	2,529	-
Discouraged workers	1,119	830	821	852	-
- Over-the-month changes are not displayed for not seasonally adjusted data. NOTE: Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Detail for the seasonally adjusted data shown in this table will not necessarily add to totals because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

 
Statement of                            
John M. Galvin
Acting Commissioner
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Friday, August 3, 2012
　
Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 163,000 in July, and the
unemployment rate, at 8.3 percent, was essentially unchanged.
Thus far in 2012, job growth has averaged 151,000 per month,
about the same as the monthly average for 2011 (+153,000). In
July, employment rose in professional and business services, food
services and drinking places, and manufacturing.
    
Professional and business services employment increased by
49,000 over the month. Computer systems design added 7,000 jobs,
and employment in temporary help services continued to trend up
(+14,000).

In July, food services and drinking places added 29,000
jobs. Employment in this industry has grown by 292,000 over the
past 12 months.

Manufacturing employment rose by 25,000 in July. The motor
vehicles and parts industry had fewer seasonal layoffs than is
typical for July, contributing to a seasonally adjusted
employment increase of 13,000. Employment continued to trend up
in fabricated metal products (+5,000).

Health care employment continued to trend up in July
(+12,000). Over the past 2 months, job growth in health care
averaged 12,000 per month, compared with job gains averaging
28,000 per month during the 12 months ending in May.

Employment in utilities decreased by 8,000 in July,
reflecting a labor-management dispute. (In the establishment
survey, workers who are off payroll for the entire pay period
that includes the 12th of the month are not counted as employed.)

Average hourly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm
payrolls increased by 2 cents in July to $23.52. Over the past
12 months, average hourly earnings have risen by 1.7 percent.
From June 2011 to June 2012, the Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased by 1.7 percent.

Turning now to data from the survey of households, the
Unemployment rate, at 8.3 percent, and the number of unemployed
persons, at 12.8 million, were essentially unchanged in July.
The labor force participation rate, at 63.7 percent, and the
employment-population ratio, at 58.4 percent, changed little over
the month. These indicators have shown little movement thus far
in 2012.

Among persons who were neither working nor looking for work
in July, 2.5 million were classified as marginally attached to
the labor force, down 256,000 from a year earlier. These
individuals had not looked for work in the 4 weeks prior to the
survey but wanted a job, were available for work, and had looked
for a job within the last 12 months. The number of discouraged
workers, a subset of the marginally attached, was 852,000 in
July, also down from a year earlier.
In summary, payroll employment rose in July (+163,000). The
unemployment rate, at 8.3 percent, was essentially unchanged.