This morning, the US Labor Department released its latest job indicator data and according to the labor department - Wicomico County has 681 fewer people in the labor force as opposed to this time last year.
The latest trend shows a decline in the labor force from 53,821 in September 2011 to the present number of 53,140. Although the unemployment rate for Wicomico County shows a decline from 8.6% in September 2011 to its present rate of 7.8% as of September 2012 - the 'true' unemployment rate is masked by the number of claimants who have exhausted their benefits and fallen out of the system.
Bottom line - Wicomico County's local economy continues to sag as the latest workforce numbers indicate. Wicomico County is simply not producing enough jobs that are required to sustain population growth and/or high school and college graduation rates.
Labor Force Data By County, Not Seasonally Adjusted - 02/11 through 09/12
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
County Period Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate (%) Wicomico 11-Feb 52506 47333 5173 9.9
Wicomico 11-Mar 53116 48391 4725 8.9
Wicomico 11-Apr 52961 48485 4476 8.5
Wicomico 11-May 53444 48877 4567 8.5
Wicomico 11-Jun 53825 48951 4874 9.1
Wicomico 11-Jul 54139 49273 4866 9.0
Wicomico 11-Aug 53423 48706 4717 8.8
Wicomico 11-Sep 53821 49172 4649 8.6
Wicomico 11-Oct 53384 48809 4575 8.6
Wicomico 11-Nov 53153 48516 4637 8.7
Wicomico 11-Dec 53213 48619 4594 8.6
Wicomico 12-Jan 51255 46321 4934 9.6
Wicomico 12-Feb 52614 47554 5060 9.6
Wicomico 12-Mar 53120 48371 4749 8.9
Wicomico 12-Apr 52802 48379 4423 8.4
Wicomico 12-May 53608 49253 4355 8.1
Wicomico 12-Jun 54151 49465 4686 8.7
Wicomico 12-Jul 54906 50340 4564 8.3
Wicomico 12-Aug 53291 48917 4374 8.2
Wicomico 12-Sep 53140 48995 4145 7.8
p=Preliminary SOURCE: BLS,LAUS
2-Nov-12
47 comments:
I knew all of the most recent plant closings and layoffs were going to show-up sooner or latter.
American Paving was one of those fatalities and also HSBC did not help matters. Local businesses are still downsizing.
I knew things were terrible. Just take a walk in HD or Lowes. No way any of those mogels can continue to survive on these table scraps.
Mene , Mene , Tekel , Parsin
Interpretation - The handwriting is on the wall.
Depressing. Jobs in Wicomico - a rarity. Good jobs in Wicomico - extinct.
Just replace everyone you can with foreign workers here on Visas. That's what OC has been doing under the Hall Brothers.
I call BS on this, Just driving around I see more than 4000 to 5000people standing around hanging out on streets everyday in this county doing nothing. Give us the real numbers of how many are on welfare sitting at home doing nothing! Then you'll know the true extent of the problem. I'm betting half of the adults in this county don't work!
This is not good news. Income tax revenues will most likely also be down. You know what that means, higher taxes.
5:15 OC has been using foreign students on J1 visas for way longer than anyone's ever heard of the Hall's. You need to get with it Dude. J1's cultural exchange has been around since atleast the 60's.
These numbers must be false because we have the "leadership" of Rick Pollitt leading the charge!
It is a pretty dismal employment picture. With no building going on it is going to take a very long time to climb out of the hole. The last thing we need right now is more regulations on building.
In 2009 I lost my job, was unemployed for 2 years, used 1/2 my savings to survive. I have been working a year & 1/2 at a low paying job making 45% less than what I was 3 yrs ago, with no prospect in the horizon of doing any better. Welcome to Salisbury, land of the welfare and home of the minimum wage. I am now looking to move. I have run out of options, its either that or I can look to a future of poverty and section 8 housing. A future so bright I gotta wear shades.... to hide the tears.
why would the unemployed want to work when they can be on public assistance (with no trace of shame) and buy themselves steak and lobster dinners, and use their cash allowances to take a cab to the comcast office to pay their $100 cable bills so they don't miss any tv while they are home during day while the rest of us work?
That missing 681 is lining in ECI.
5:15 - Many of us know how long the program has been around. The question is why our elected officials are encouraging the demise of American workers. Far too long, the excuse has been "Americans don't want to do the job". Our Governments have been encouraging the use of foreign vs American workers for years. Read Joe Hall's proposal in 2010: http://ifawebnews.com/2010/06/07/ocean-city-eyeing-end-to-unemployment-benefits-for-season-workers/ Many of OC's voting citizens are/will be hurt by Joe Hall's proposals because many of them fill the seasonal labor requirements of the Town.
6:45 I just read the article you linked and Joe Hall is against ending unemployment benefits for seasonal workers. Town attorney Ayres is in favor it appears of ending benefits saying resort areas may benefit. I'm a bit confused on the point you are making.
As far as hiring foreigners over Americans (& I speak from experience) maybe the government has been encouraging this practice but as far as individual employers that is not the case. Again my experience has shown that quite a few of the foreigners who do decend on OC want to "work" alot of hours but end up being nothing more than a warm body hiding in a corner. Personally I prefer local kids in high school who come back every summer for a few years. Now this can become a problem because then you have the soccer camp problem and the family reunion that turns into a whole week problem and other must attend functions throughout the summer which inconveniences everyone.
I hate to say this but as far as a work ethic and commitment that goes to the Hispanics.
Add the people that quit looking for work and your WAY over ten percent, just like the rest of the country...
The current work force is a bunch of spoiled brats that feel entitled to what the next guy gets, although the guy next ot them works twice as hard. They won't assume any responsibility so that when something goes wrong they can blame it
on somebody else. No wonder so many can't find a job.
Responce to 7:10 PM
I agree with you regarding the work ethics of the Hispanics. I hired one a few years ago - to do construction work. It was really hot and I said to the Hispanic - let's go take a lunch break. He looked at me and said - no, we still have a lot of work to do - and worked on until the job was completely done. Most all of them work that way.
Job growth, what job growth!
Talking about a stagnant economy, just look at the stats. It looks like a stick stuck in mud. The Labor Force numbers look deplorable with little or no improvement. Actually, it looks like we now might be moving backwards.
To 5:59 Posting
I agree. There is now more incentive to not work than there is to work. With section 8 housing, welfare or independence cards, free cellphones, 2 years of unemployment, who would want to work. I believe these statistics are correct and that the 681 fewer workers are the ones that have fallen off the unemployment roles and are now on another type of subsistance.
Actually - the labor force numbers show that things are starting to get worse. Just take a moment to look at what October 2012 numbers might be after you review October 2011 stats. If the same scenario plays out next month then we are going back into yet another recession.
Looks like we might be going into another recession.
Add in the Perdue layoffs of a good bunch of well paying jobs over the last year plus. The ones that left on their own are being replaced with folks that can't get jobs elsewhere and are taking lots less...with no growth potential anymore.
7:19 sounds like your typical out of touch smallbury employer. yea how dare anyone expect a livable wage while they are doing the job of 2 people.
"no wonder so many of them can't find a job" - if that statement wasn't so pathetic it would be laughable.
Growing up in California I saw this first hand. The first generation of the Hispanics are hard workers, and do jobs most wouldn't want to do for much less pay. However, the second and third generation Hispanics of the hard workers take another route, they sit back and get all the assistance they can. They become involved in gangs, drugs, and parents at a very young age. They live off of the government assistance because they learn how to work the system.
7:10 PM - ...and I just read it again and you are wrong. Joe Hall proposed this and Ayers commented on how it might work in other areas. An employer saves up to 20% (in unemployment taxes) by NOT hiring an American. In the last 2 seasons alone, local Americans were replaced by Foreign workers on the Boardwalk Tram (the Americans did not quit). What you don't hear about is how the number of Tram accidents have gone up since this was done. There were at least 4 Tram accidents in 2012. How many have you heard about? Joe Hall is a loose canon pushing decisions without understanding their real impact. Joe Hall is taking employment opportunities away from the people who vote for him and causing employees to seek Union representation by continually taking away compensation and benefits from employees in the interest of saving a penny while costing the Town $$$. Joe Hall has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in pursuing a personal vendetta agains Dare that accomplished nothing more than spending more of the Town's budget.
Mene , Mene , Tekel , Parsin
Interpretation - The handwriting is on the wall.
November 2, 2012 5:04 PM
No, those words are what was written on the wall.
The interpretation of those words mean Mene[e]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel[f]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Wow. What an educated bunch of economists we have here.
Did any of you, including the author of this post actually review the numbers in the post?
The most obvious is that in 20 months, the rate for September 2012 is the lowest.
The actual number of unemployed persons is also the lowest in 20 months.
Your argument about people leaving the workforce driving up the "true" unemployment rate doesn't hold water.
Why is it so hard for you to admit that things are getting better? Do you really want America to fail as much as your posts seem to indicate? I just don't understand how you can take upward movement in job growth and spin it as negative? There's a job for you in Spin City sir.
You're lying as much as Romney and the Republicans. Smells like desperation to me.
sounds like your typical out of touch smallbury employer. yea how dare anyone expect a livable wage while they are doing the job of 2 people.
I hear ya there brother. Everything has been going up for years, decades, EXCEPT WAGES.
I was recently talking to a college student who is looking for a job next summer before starting college in September. Their theory was this "If I am only going to get paid minimum wage, it is not worth my time to even work" I remember growing up I did odd jobs throughout the summer babysitting, doing errands for neighbors, working in an office during the summer and was paid a big $2.00 an hour. I looked at it as having my own money and not having to ask my parents for spending money. I think that is the theory now for a lot of people receiving welfare, public assistance - why work when they can make more sitting at home receiving a government assistance check.
It looks like there has been little improvement over the past year. I agree with most of those posting comments that it looks like we might be going into another recession.
I wish someone would let Governor O'Malley know what we are experiencing here on the easternshore. All I see are O'Malley's press releases that tout how things are starting to look up.
He needs to take a reality pill.
Lies, Lies, more Lies. The Obama administration will try and do anything to get reelected. I have thought about this for a long time and I knew deep down inside that the current administration was deceiving the people. Time for him to go and give the new kid on the block a chance. We have had suffering for far to long(49 months)now.
Response to 11:48 PM Posting
One can easily tell by the tone of your posting that you are uneducated and an Obama supporter.
The mentality with people of your way of thinking is what has currently led up to our present demise.
You had better take a closer look at the Labor Force Numbers as this is the real indicator for a robust economy. Naturally, unemployment will go down as a result of people falling out of the benefit system. Are not those that fall out still unemployed? The answer is yes. However, they have now fallen out of the measuring scale. There lies you fallacy in thinking that the economy is booming.
I hope you have now learned Economics 101.
The current Obama administration and the jobs numbers are indicative of what socialism does to a society. Bottom line - under socialism there is more incentive to not work than there is to work - plain and simple.
These numbers are grossly inaccurate,nothing to do with Joe, the real unemployment rate is double this.
11:48PM .....tell that to the 6 guys and one lady I have laid off in the last few months. Ask THEM how good things are getting. My lowest paid person was $12 per hour and my highest is $21 per hour. I would love to give out raises for all the people producing but when workman comp insurance wants $.16 of every dollar brought in along with all of the other insurances and expenses its hard to make ends meet much less give out raises. The govt penalizes business for paying employee's well by charging higher premiums. Their reasoning is that if they get hurt it costs them that much more to py them while hurt. I say I am paying them good money because they have demonstrated that they have good work ethic and work safely.
Good thing is once I lay the final four off it will be just me & I dont have to worry about those insurances bleeding me dry. I will do what I can do by myself and everyone else can fend for themselves
More retirees coming here,who's going to pay for infrastructure, roads,taxes their certainly not.And the enviro-kooks control all development the Eastern Shore is doomed.
Response to 11:30 & 12:01
I agree with both of you. The eastern shore is being forced into a corner with no way out. There are little options left as free enterprise has been driven overseas.
Now the government will just feed on themselves and that is exactly what is happening. This is why they keep raising the debt ceiling as it has become impossible to balance the budget.
Can't say I blame business for moving - USA especially Maryland have now gone socialist.
The US is going to look just like Greece, Spain, France, in just short period of time. We are going down the exact same path that they have. The US debt is so enormous and cumbersonme - I see no solution in sight.
There must be another word for this type of governance. I know there is marxism, lenninism, socialism, communism, but I believe this new form ism of governance is worse than any of the above.
I just wish I had a name for it.
11:48: In fact, I got an A in Econ 101 class in college. I have studies these numbers closely and I completely understand how unemployment stats are tracked, complied and reported. I understand that these numbers can be imperfect. I get that those who stopped looking for work are being excluded.
My point here is that there is no empirical quantification of that claim that these numbers are grossly underreported as a result of people leaving the labor force.
In fact, if you look at the labor force numbers, it doesn't change much over the period shown. That would indicate that there aren't that many people "giving up" and leaving the labor force as stated in the post and comments.
You're also wrong about my politics. I'm a registered Republican. But I also believe in the truth. If the stats are pointing to an improvement, however small it may be, let's acknowledge that rather than shallowly dismissing them.
I know as an extremist zealot who will refuse to accept any truth placed in front of you, you will find a way to deny it. If you can't use logic, which you have so far been incapable of, you'll just try to incite confusion by saying things like 'Just look at the numbers" which you obviously haven't done yourself.
As a responsible citizen, you and I both have a responsibility to tell the truth and acknowledge the truth when it stares us in the face. Even if that truth doesn't fit neatly in our little box of what we think or want the world to be.
I did not say that things have been fixed. There's still a lot of work to do. A devastated economy, which we have been living in for more than 4 years, does not get turned around in 4 years. Look back at what every economist was saying 4 years ago (before and after the election) and they all cautioned that this recovery would take time.
The problem with America is that you and too many other Americans are impatient and trigger happy. Stats like these aren't a victory but a light at the end of the tunnel. That light is far away, but it's getting closer rather than farther away like you and the other zealots on this site are trying to convince themselves and others that it is.
IMHO looking at the numbers, if October/12 numbers dip much lower than 53,000 then I would say it is a clear indication that we are headed into another recession - locally speaking. Either way, the workforce numbers are very weak and they are no where near what need to be especially since the present administration has had 4 yrs to try and get things in order.
Okay, Folks, I have looked it up and done the math!
Wikipedia and the latest Census 2010 numbers say that there are 28000 single person households, and 24000 family mom and dad households in the county of Wicomico. That makes 76000 people available to work, not counting kids over 16 living at home or Moms who want to stay at home 'cause Dad makes enough to make that happen.
So, we have approximately 50,000 employed according to this story, so I am doing the calculations right now.... wait... wait... WOW! we're ar 34% unemployment!!!!! Or 8%, which is it? Is my math wrong? NO. Is O'Malley high? Yes. Are our reporters incompetent in math skills and credibility? Yes.
Maryland, thanks to Balto, PG, and Montgomery counties, will drive Maryland vote to Obama, period. Hands down.
HOWEVER, this means that a vote for Romney is a throwing away vote. So, why not use your "Throw Away" vote to start a movement to show the "Lesser of Two Evils" that people are not afraid to vote for third party candidates?
Voting third party will put the "Good old boys" network on real notice, and possibly really affect the next presidential election.
I voted early, and voted for Mr. Gary Johnson because he is the most popular out of the independents and likely to gain the most votes, but voting for any independent will show your motive and cause!
Please consider this move for Tuesday, and God bless!
I agree with 6:10 commenter. If next's months labor force no. falls at or below 53,000 then technically wicomico has slipped into another recession. If the work force number falls at or below 53,000 then that will make it the 3rd month in a row that wicomico has continued to lose ground in the employment arena. 3 months in row is pretty definitive that wicomico is sinking.
Workforce Numbers look like an indication of another recession to me. I cannot believe that the economy has been this stagnant for so long.
Not sure where you're getting your population numbers but they are inaccurate. We had a population of approximately 99,000 of which 35.5% are under 18 or over 65. That leaves 64,000 working age persons. With 53,000 in the reported labor force, that leaves a gap of 11,000 persons that are of working age but are not in the labor force. These are students (7,200), stay at home parents (?), institutionalized persons (1,100) and active members of the Armed Forces (?). That leaves 2,700 for stay at home parents, members of the armed forces and "discouraged workers".
So, not sure where you get your numbers, but those are the real ones.
Your the one incompetent in math skills and high. If you ever had any credibility, it's gone now.
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