Industry News
Improving job prospects in the US, but worries ahead
September 2015 – The US economic situation improved last month with the addition of 173,000 jobs, which although was less than anticipated, made the joblessness rate go down to just over 5%. In addition, the average pay packet increased slightly last month meaning that salaries increased by 2% over this year and that more employees are seeing the benefits of the recent improving US economic climate. It was not all good news however, with the United States workforce participation rate remaining unchanged, meaning that the proportion of individuals in or looking for work in the US was at a low that has not been seen since the 1970s. The participation rate figures suggest that the majority of unemployed Americans have yet to restart looking for work, a problem that has essentially endured since the financial crisis of 2008. This is particularly worrying since it is not at all clear what the effect will be of the weakening Chinese economy on the US economic situation over the next few years.
Slow jobs recovery in Las Vegas
August 2015 – Just north of the well-known Las Vegas strip, a gathering of some of its residents assembled at a jobs fair towards the end of last month in an attempt to achieve their most sought after reward – employment. Many of them were newly out of work hoping for a little bit of luck. Of all cities in the US with a population of over 1 million, Las Vegas has the highest unemployment level, primarily as a result of the economic downturn of 2008 when the city employment suffered more than in any other major urban area in America. Las Vegas is still suffering the effects of the economic downturn of seven years ago, yet those who turned up for the employment fair discovered that their chances of finding work were better than they usually are. Employers outnumbered job candidates and there were even more job vacancies available than there were job seekers. On the whole, the financial scenario in the United States is improving with the US joblessness level at its lowest since financial crisis. Unemployment benefit applications have also fallen to their lowest since before the financial crisis. Yet Las Vegas is still struggling with the throwback of that economic downturn with its unemployment rate set at just over 7%.
New jobs program to tackle youth unemployment
July 2015 – Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has recently launched a strategy for a number of large US companies to employ over 100,000 youth by the year 2018. The “100,000 Opportunities Initiative” as it is called, is focused on starting employ the 5 million Americans aged 16 to 24 which do not have jobs and which have also left education, a group experts have referred to as “disconnected youth”. The issue is worst amongst minority groups, with 22 % of young African-American individuals classified as disconnected youth based on Social Science Research Council studies. One in five young indigenous Americans, 16 % of Latinos, 11 % of white and also 8 % of Asian people additionally come under this umbrella. Schultz, who had pledged earlier this year that Starbucks would employ the services of 10,000 young people, revealed that CEOs from 16 various other major business, including Taco Bell, Target, Macy’s as well as Walmart and Walgreens, would also be employing greater numbers of 16- to 24-year-olds as trainees in part-time and permanent positions. While the new jobs will be welcomed by youth groups, issues are most likely to be raised that the overall majority of the jobs are likely to pay extremely reduced wages. While Starbucks pays more than the base pay, it is still an everyday challenge for its million or so baristas just to pay their living expenses.
Veterans looking for employment see difficult times
The United States employment market, at its weakest in years, has minimal scope for anybody attempting to secure his very first employment, and it’s much worse for the ex-military type. Veteran joblessness remains elevated, particularly for the latest veterans. As reported in a recent employment study, there are 684,000 jobless veterans in the United States, approximately a 3rd of them from the ‘war on terrorism’ era. Greater 
than 223,000 current veterans are presently without work. While the country’s jobless rate for the populace at large is 6.7%, it is 9.2 % for military veterans. Taking into account the recent statement by the Department of Defense to reduce the United States armed forces to early 20th century numbers, veterans worry that their employment situation will end up much worse. There has been a great deal of focus on veteran joblessness in the past few years. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden have pioneered a White House campaign called ‘Joining Forces’ calling on companies to take on more veterans as employees. In addition, over 130 firms have come together to employ 100,000 veterans. The firms have since exceeded their target with over 117,000 veterans employed. Taking into consideration this higher jobless rate for current veterans, it ought to come as no surprise that a lot of veterans are also having a hard time getting their financial affairs in order. A third of veterans have disclosed that they had excessive debts, bounced a check, had been reported to a debt collection agency or had fallen victim to money fraud.
US unemployment falls to lowest level since 2008
The United States jobless rate decreased to 6.3 %, its lowest level for the past 6 years, the Department of Labor Statistics reported. The amount of new jobs produced was the biggest month-to-month increase in over 2 years. The report stated that increases were across the board, topped by employment expansion in skilled and enterprise solutions, retail business, food providers, drinking establishments, and construction. The jobless rates for adolescents, blacks, and hispanics continue to be high however each did fall a little the previous month. The amount of long-term out-of-work (those unemployed for 27 weeks or more) decreased by 287,000 in April. The decrease in the jobless rate was equally driven by a drop in the participation rate: the amount of individuals counted as being in the labor force, which fell to 62.8 % from 63.2 %. The figures come as the Federal Reserve claimed the negative impacts of the harsh winter season were subsiding. Wintertime’s bite on the economic climate was evident on Wednesday as the Trade Department revealed GDP, the widest measure of financial development, had increased merely 0.1 % in the initial quarter of the year. In an announcement, House speaker John Boehner accused the Obama government for a diminishing labor force. The nonfarm pay-roll report also comes hot of the heels of a positive report from ADP, the United States’s biggest pay-roll provider.
Council Dismisses Redondo Beach Administrator
Dismissed administrator Bill Workman, whose aggressive interaction with worker unions resulted in his dismissal, garnered approximately $270,000 in pay as a result of the dispute. Workman, the Redondo Beach‘s leading manager for 9 years, secured a year’s income of $223,463 plus perks required under his employment contract with the municipality. Furthermore, he was granted $46,000 as part of an employees’ settlement case. Worker settled for this lump sum deal in exchange for a deal not to register any other grievances, allegations or claims against the municipality.
Workman had been at the focus of dispute in the recent months where employment unions had united in an alliance objecting his administration 
and alleging unreasonable and vindictive management. Of the nearly 300 staff members that voted late, almost all supported a “no confidence” vote in the city administrator. The local authority had launched an investigation into the claims against Workman in January, however the specifics of a Bay Area attorney’s results remained private.
Workman was formally discharged without reason during the City board’s closed meeting in April. In addition to the severance pay and compensation payment, Workman also received reimbursement for accumulated and remaining holiday pay. The mayor stated municipality representatives will take their time choosing a another administrator and that they expect a complete range of experienced applicants to apply to take the municipality’s reins.
LED Waves takes on New Workers
Electricity saving lighting fixtures provider and developer, LED Waves, has revealed that it has taken on 3 new staff members. These latest additions embody the business’s swift expansion, which started in 2001 and which increased further once they started manufacturing LED lamps in the U.S.A in 2011. Nick Gallina will be teaming up with LED Waves’ sales department. Gallina is a St. Francis alumna who majored in Enterprise Management, with a minor in Psychological science. Kevin Masterson will help with the upkeep of LED Waves’ social media marketings and various other existing promotion and marketing projects. Masterson earned his degree from the University of North Texas with a major in Marketing and a minor in English . BJ Oladeji will be enlisting with the LED Waves 
manufacturing group. Oladeji holds a B.S. in Business Management from Mountain State College. The LED sector has witnessed rapid expansion over the last few years, with take up rising 45% each year. Both businesses and the consumer have adopted the new technology in the form of LED property lighting, LED lighting in the home, LED consumer electronics, LED grow lights, LED street lighting, and many other This is because of the improving capacities and performance of LED illumination in contrast to various other lighting types. These improved performance attributes have less of an impact on the environment while also decreasing power and renewal costs for companies and households. The firm’s unique product line of American-made LED lights is continuing to expand and is even raising the benchmark within the sector.