Alabama’s unemployment rate climbed slightly in October
By Steve Wilson | The Center Square Data from the Alabama Department of Labor shows that the state’s unemployment rate increased slightly to 2.3% in October, while the state’s labor force participation rate remained constant at 57%. October’s rate was four-tenths of a percent below October 2022, which was 2.6%. According to the DOL, there were 52,196 unemployed people, compared to 50,166 in September (2.2% rate) and 60,443 in October 2022. The state agency also said that the number of employed increased by 38,038 to a record high of 2.26 million. The civilian labor force also increased to a new record high of 2.3 million, with 29,791 more people joining over the year. “We are continuing to see positive growth in our prime-age worker labor force participation rate, with more than three out of every four prime-age Alabamians holding down a job,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington in a release. “One of the main components of the labor force participation rate is the state’s total population, and Alabama has a larger portion of retired workers. “We will continue to work to bring in other, more traditionally underutilized segments of the population to ensure that we are maximizing our workforce.” The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: • Shelby County at 1.8%. • Morgan, Limestone, Cullman, and Chilton counties at 1.9%. • St. Clair, Marshall, Madison, Elmore, Cleburne, Cherokee, Bullock, and Blount counties at 2%. All of the counties with the highest unemployment rates are located in the Black Belt in central Alabama, led by Wilcox County (7.8%), Dallas County (5.6%), and Clarke and Perry counties (4.6%). The three cities tied at the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 1.6% are all in the Birmingham suburbs: Alabaster, Homewood, and Vestavia Hills. Next was two other Birmingham suburbs – Hoover and Trussville – along with Madison, a suburb of Huntsville at 1.7%. Athens was third at 1.8%. Selma had the state’s highest unemployment rate for major cities at 6.6%, followed by Prichard at 4.8% and Bessemer at 4%. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Alabama’s Labor Force Participation Rate shows no improvement: unemployment increases slightly
On Friday, Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington reported that Alabama’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.0% in October, with no improvement from September. The percentage of prime-age workers increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 78.1% over the month. Prime-age workers is defined as those aged 25-54 years. “We are continuing to see positive growth in our prime-age worker labor force participation rate, with more than three out of every four prime-age Alabamians holding down a job,” said Washington. “One of the main components of the labor force participation rate is the state’s total population, and Alabama has a larger portion of retired workers. We will continue to work to bring in other, more traditionally underutilized segments of the population to ensure that we are maximizing our workforce.” Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate is 2.3%. That is up slightly from September’s rate of 2.2%, which was up from August’s record low rate of 2.1%. October’s rate is still well below October 2022’s rate of 2.6%. There were 2,030 more unemployed workers in October than in September. The rate represents 52,196 unemployed persons, compared to 50,166 in September, That is still well below the 60,443 in October 2022. On the bright side, however, the number of people counted as employed increased by 38,038 over the year to a new record high of 2,260,806. The civilian labor force also increased to a new record high of 2,313,002, with 29,791 more people joining the labor force over the year. “Our labor force is growing, and more and more people are working,” continued Washington. It is unclear how many of those new workers represent people moving to Alabama to take open positions rather than Alabamians on the sidelines choosing to reenter the labor force. Businesses are paying more to attract and retain workers than ever before. “Additionally, Alabamians are earning more money – this month, we saw our average weekly wages rise to a new record high of $1,027.76,” Washington said. The total private average weekly wage increased in October by $8.10 over the year to a new record high of $1,027.76. Average weekly wages in both the construction and financial activities sectors reached new record highs, with construction wages increasing by $71.63 per week and financial activities wages increasing by $104.68 weekly. Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 24,700, reaching a new record high of 2,163,400, with gains in the private education and health services sector (+8,700), the government sector (+7,400), and the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+5,900), among others. Wage and salary employment increased in October by 5,700. Monthly gains were seen in the professional and business services sector (+3,300), the government sector (+3,100), and the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+1,600), among others. The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 1.8%, Morgan, Limestone, Cullman, and Chilton Counties at 1.9%, and St. Clair, Marshall, Madison, Elmore, Cleburne, Cherokee, Bullock, and Blount Counties at 2.0%. The counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 7.8%, Dallas County at 5.6%, and Clarke and Perry Counties at 4.6%. The major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are Alabaster, Homewood, and Vestavia Hills at 1.6%, Hoover, Madison, and Trussville at 1.7%, and Athens at 1.8%. The major cities with the highest unemployment rates are Selma at 6.6%, Prichard at 4.8%, and Bessemer at 4.0%. On Thursday, a Legislative committee met to consider what the state can do to improve the workforce participation rate and the skill level of the labor force. Alabama has one of the worst labor force participation rates in the country. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State unemployment drops to a record low of 2.1%
Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced on Friday that state unemployment set a new all-time record low of just 2.1% in July. More troubling for state leaders is that Alabama’s Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) remained unchanged in July 2023 at 57.0%. This rate is also unchanged from July 2022. There has been no improvement in the labor force participation rate in the last year. “Alabama continues to set economic records,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Not only did we maintain our streak of setting new employment records, we also saw yet another decrease in our unemployment rate, bringing us to a new record low of 2.1%.” The “prime-age” participation rate, which measures the labor force participation for individuals aged 25-54, is 77.8% in Alabama. By age 25, most college education should be complete. 54 is really too young to be retired. Some of that 22.2% of prime-age non-workers are mothers staying at home to take care of their children or a chronically ill parent. A few are disabled and can’t work, and a few are independently wealthy and living off of their investments. A large number, however, are apparently making the decision to not participate in the economy. The White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) released a report examining the declining workforce participation rate. The CEA reported several possible explanations, including “increasing rates of women in the workforce, rising disability insurance claims, falling demand for less-skilled workers, and barriers to employment for those with criminal records.” Governor Kay Ivey and state officials are concerned because businesses can’t recruit workers if they come to the state or try to expand unless they get into a bidding war with existing workers. The state’s unemployment rate keeps dropping, but businesses are increasingly troubled by the lack of prime-age workers in the state, and the state’s inability to raise that labor participation rate (which trails the national average) means that employers who the state would like to recruit here can’t find workers – even with competitive pay. There were only 48,834 unemployed people, a new record low, compared to 50,377 in June and 59,409 in July 2022. The number of people counted as employed increased by 28,382 over the year to a new record high of 2,258,166. The civilian labor force also reached a new record high of 2,307,000, with 17,807 more people joining the labor force over the year. Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 38,600 to 2,151,200, with gains in the leisure and hospitality sector (+9,800), the private education and health services sector (+7,800), and the government sector (+6,700), among others. “Another bright spot to note this month is the recovery of the leisure and hospitality sector, which was hit especially hard by the pandemic,” continued Washington. “In July, this sector came within 300 workers of reaching its previous (and pre-pandemic) record high of 213,700 workers. That’s certainly an amazing turnaround in that industry!” The leisure and hospitality industry recorded 213,400 workers in July 2023, which is very near its all-time record high was 213,700 in June 2019 – before the global pandemic. All 67 counties experienced a stable or decrease in their unemployment rate both over the month and over the year. The Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 1.7%, Morgan County at 1.8%, and Madison, Limestone, and Cullman Counties at 1.9%. The Alabama Counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 6.7%, Dallas County at 5.5%, and Perry County at 5.4%. The major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are Trussville and Vestavia Hills at 1.5%, Homewood and Madison at 1.6%, and Alabaster and Hoover at 1.7%. The major cities with the highest unemployment rates are Selma at 6.4%, Prichard at 4.6%, and Bessemer at 3.5%. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Online job ads in December are up 3.9% from last year
The Alabama Department of Labor reported that data collected and analyzed by their Labor Market Information (LMI) Division shows that as of December 2022, the yearly comparison of online job ads is 101,036, up 3.9% from December 2021. However, the monthly total of online job ads for December 2022 is down 0.5% from November, with a decrease of 506 online ads. The five occupations with the most online job ads are for registered nurses, retail salespersons, supervisors of retail sales workers, customer service representatives, sales reps, and wholesale and manufacturing, with 15,915 ads placed for those occupations in December. The HWOL data is compiled from all online job postings in the state, including those posted on the state’s free online jobs database, AlabamaWorks.alabama.gov, and other sources, such as traditional job boards, corporate boards, and social media sites. Twenty-eight percent of job ads have salaries of $75,000 and above; 22% have salaries in the $50-75,000 range; 18% have salaries in the $35-49,000 range; and 32% have salaries of $35,000 or under. The top two employers posting the most online ads in December were Huntsville Hospital, with 1,408 job ads, and UAB Health System, with 1,200 positions posted. The rest of the top 10 were: Walmart/Sam’s with 840, University of Alabama at Birmingham with 789, Auburn University with 592, Baptist Health with 562, Regions with 540 jobs posted, Brookwood Baptist Health with 522, Grandview Medical Center with 521, and Walgreens with 466 job ads posted. The Department of Labor is focusing this month on Information Security Analysts. Those employed in this occupation are expected to plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures to protect computer networks and information, assess system vulnerabilities for security risks, and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. They may also ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure and respond to computer security breaches and viruses. Typically, this occupation requires a Bachelor’s Degree and a considerable amount of work-related skills, knowledge, or experience. The advertised median salary for Information Security Analysts in Alabama is $91,934. This occupation has 220 annual total openings in Alabama. There are numerous jobs available in the state, with unemployment at just 2.8%. This is an excellent environment for job seekers or those seeking to change careers, as well as Alabamians considering reentering the workforce. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Online job ads are up 17.3% from October last year
The Alabama Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information (LMI) Division reports that online job ads were up in October 2022, 17.3% from last year. The Labor Department reports that there were 109,337 online job ads, which is up 1.7% from September, with an increase of 1,790 online ads. The five occupations with the most online job ads in the state are registered nurses, retail salespersons, supervisors of retail sales workers, customer service representatives, and software developers. There were 16,126 ads placed for those occupations alone during October. The Department compiles the help wanted online data from all online job postings in the state, including those posted on the state’s free online jobs database, alabamaworks.alabama.gov, and other sources, such as traditional job boards, corporate boards, and social media sites. Twenty-six percent of job ads have salaries of $75,000 and above. 22% of the available positions have salaries in the $50,000 to 75,000 range. 20% of the ads have salaries in the $35,000 to 49,000 range. Just 32% of the online ads were for positions with salaries of $35,000 or less. The top two employers posting the most online ads in October were Huntsville Hospital with 1,487 and UAB Health System with 1,237. The rest of the top 10 were: Encompass Health (678), Walmart/Sam’s (652), University of Alabama at Birmingham (602), Baptist Health (569), Lowe’s (526), Auburn University (450), Walgreens (450), and Aramark (432). This month the Department of Labor’s help wanted online occupation focus is physical therapists. Those employed in this occupation assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury. Physical Therapists may also plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients. Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention. Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in the patient’s chart or enter information into the computer. Typically, this occupation requires a graduate’s degree. In Alabama, the advertised median salary for Physical Therapists is $79,730. This occupation has 170 total openings in Alabama currently. Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate is 2.7%. That is well below October 2021’s rate of 3.1%. The U.S. unemployment rate is 3.4% in October. “Our wages continue to move in the right direction, more world-leading firms are relocating here every day, and our workforce development efforts are producing newly credentialed workers almost every day,” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said. It’s more than apparent that we have much to be thankful for as we head into the holiday season.” To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Online job ads in September up 18.7% from last year
The economy may be slowing, but the Alabama job market is not. According to data from the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL), the number of online job ads in September was 18.7% higher than last year. The data was collected and analyzed by the Alabama Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information (LMI) Division. That analysis shows that as of September 2022, the yearly comparison of online job ads is 107,319. That is up 18.7% from September 2021. However, the monthly total of online job ads for September 2022 is down 8.1% from August, with a decrease of 9,464 online ads. The five occupations with the most online job ads are for registered nurses, retail salespersons, supervisors of retail sales workers, customer service representatives, and truck drivers. 15,599 ads were placed for those occupations alone in September. The ADOL data is compiled from all online job postings in the state, including those posted on the state’s free online jobs database and other sources, such as traditional job boards, corporate boards, and social media sites. Pay is also up. Twenty-five percent of job ads have salaries of $75,000 and above; 22% have salaries in the $50-75,000 range, while 20% have salaries in the $35-49,000 range. Just 33% of the jobs advertised in the state have salaries of less than $35,000. The top two employers posting the most online ads in September were Huntsville Hospital, with 1,516, and UAB Health System, with 1,328. Walmart/Sam’s was third with 1,036. Encompass Health was fourth with 829. Regions Bank was fifth with 639. Baptist Health came in sixth with 589. The University of Alabama at Birmingham was seventh with 566. Lowes came in eighth with 531, Auburn University ninth with 461, and the University of Alabama rounded out the top ten with 456 online job ads in September. There are only 59,558 unemployed persons in the state. The state’s unemployment rate in September is a record low of 2.6 percent. “Despite the uncertainty facing the U.S. economy, Alabama has managed to add 50,000 new jobs since September of 2021 and is on pace to break its previous record for yearly job growth,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “Our efforts continue to yield encouraging results, and I’m looking forward to working with our public and private partners to make Alabama an even better place to live, work and raise a family.” To look for a job or a better position, search the ADOL site for job openings. ADOL also has job training opportunities available. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Hyundai supplier fined for child labor violations
On Tuesday, Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced that the ADOL has issued and collected more than $35,000 in civil monetary penalties for violations of Alabama’s Child Labor Law. Two businesses, SL Alabama, LLC, and JK USA were fined $17,800 each for multiple violations of the Child Labor Law. SL Alabama is an automotive supplier producing headlights and mirrors for Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Montgomery. The facility is located in Alexander City, AL. JK USA is a temporary employment agency providing workers to automotive suppliers based in Opelika, AL. Both companies were cited for: three violations of employing a minor under the age of 16 in a manufacturing facility (3 violations = $15,000), two violations of employing minors aged 14 or 15 in a prohibited environment (2 violations = $600), two violations of working minors under the age of 16 outside of permissible hours (2 violations= $600), one violation of failing to obtain the proper Class 1 Child Labor Certificate permit (1 violation = $50), one violation of failing to obtain the proper Class 2 Child Labor Certificate permit (1 violation = $50), and five violations of failing to obtain proper identification documents (5 violations = $1,500). The case, which has drawn national attention to Alabama, was uncovered following a complaint. An investigation of the facility was conducted by ADOL’s Child Labor Inspectors, along with representatives from the United States Department of Labor, the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. The investigation determined that SL Alabama had employed three minors, aged 13, 15, and 15, in a prohibited manufacturing environment. All three of the minors were provided by JK USA, a temporary employment agency, but were performing work at SL Alabama. The minors were operating plastic bonding machines in a prohibited occupation and location. Two other 16-year-old employees were working without appropriate record-keeping on the premises. Neither SL Alabama nor JK USA had obtained any required Child Labor Certificates for any age group. JK USA provided the underage workers to SL Alabama but did not provide documentation regarding the three underage employees until required to do so by state and federal investigators. E-Verify had not cleared the minors. This web-based system allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States but was still provided to SL Alabama by JK USA. “This practice of providing and employing underage and undocumented workers is appalling,” Sec. Washington stated in a press release. “Employee safety, especially the safety of children, is a top priority. These businesses violated the law and put these children at risk, and it will not be tolerated in Alabama. We will vigorously investigate any business or industry suspected to be participating in this illegal activity. We will continue to work with our federal partners, the U.S. Departments of Labor and Homeland Security, and our state Attorney General’s office to assist in any further investigations or potential criminal prosecutions.” The Legislature has not given the ADOL the statutory authority to levy any criminal charges for violations of Child Labor Law. Both companies have submitted the penalties in their entirety. The SL Alabama has agreed to cut ties with JK USA and punish management employees as part of the deal that the company has agreed to in a settlement of a federal lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Labor. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama unemployment rate holds steady at 3.1%
Alabama’s jobless rate remained unchanged at 3.1% for the fourth straight month in January, the state Department of Labor said Monday. The rate represented 69,141 people without jobs compared to 90,390 in January 2021, when many businesses were trying to return to normal during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state rate was better than the comparable U.S. unemployment rate of 4% in January. Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said more than 33,000 jobs were created over the last year, and total weekly earnings had increased $30.60. “While holding steady may not seem like a positive thing to some, given the uncertainties that currently exist in our national economy, I’m proud to say that, so far, Alabama is maintaining positive employment trends,” he said in a statement. Shelby County in metro Birmingham had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.2%, and rural Wilcox County was worst at 11.2%. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama unemployment claims see small spike
Initial unemployment claims were up in Alabama during the week ending Oct. 30, according to a report from the U.S Department of Labor. State officials received 3,552 new claims compared with 3,227 in the previous week, an increase of 225. The number of claims paid for the week ending Oct. 23 was down by 1,258 from the previous week, according to the report. The state paid 4,352 claims compared to 5,601 in the prior week. Alabama’s unemployment rate is the eighth-lowest in the country at 3.1%, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rate was the same in August, according to a news release from the Alabama Department of Labor. The unemployment rate in September 2020 was 6.7% In September, 74,000 more residents had jobs than in the previous year, and almost 79,000 fewer people were on the unemployment rolls, according to the state labor department. The figures show 68,544 Alabamans were without a job in September, compared with 69,014 in August. The number of Alabamans not working in September 2020 was 147,334, according to the Alabama DOL. Alabama is one of several U.S. states that ended federal pandemic unemployment programs earlier this year. On the business side, the state added 63,000 new jobs this year, according to the Alabama DOL. The state reached its highest job count of 2021, according to Alabama Labor Secretary Washington Fitzgerald. “Some of the hardest-hit industries, including the leisure and hospitality industry, continue to lead the state in over-the-year growth and registering significantly higher wages,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. The U.S. unemployment rate is also declining. Fourteen thousand fewer unemployment claims were filed for the week ending Oct. 30 when compared with the week prior, according to the DOL. The figure represents the lowest number since March 14, 2020, when 256,000 claims were filed. By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square
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