Gerawan Farming, one of the largest growers of tree fruit and grapes in Fresno County, has alerted its employees and government officials that it is shutting down its table grape operations next year, affecting more than 2,500 workers.
But the less-heralded weekly jobless claims, due Thursday morning, still matter a great deal, perhaps now more than ever. They are useful for gauging the state of the labor market in a relatively real-time manner. Based on the past year’s trend, historically low levels of claims and budding signs of wage pressure suggest the Federal Reserve may feel pressure to accelerate the tightening pace in 2016.
This year, the state allocated just 20 percent of the water requested by California water districts. For the second straight year, the federal government cut off most valley water districts entirely — including the Westlands Water District, which supplies the farms around Mendota.
California employers added just 5,500 net new jobs in November, according to federal data — a significant slowdown from more robust monthly gains earlier in the year.
Economists point to a crucial question: Will a higher minimum wage reduce the number of jobs for the country’s least skilled workers? President Obama says “there is no solid evidence that a higher minimum wage costs jobs.” On the contrary, a full and fair reading of the evidence shows the opposite. Raising the minimum wage will cost jobs, particularly those held by the least-skilled.
The State of California added 26,700 private sector jobs during the month of November, according to the ADP Regional Employment Report . . .
The U.S. economy posted another month of sturdy job growth in November, paving the way for the Federal Reserve to raise short-term interest rates for the first time in a decade.
The U.S. economy has added 2.6 million jobs over the prior 12 months. That is down from a high of 3.2 million registered in February, and the lowest 12-month total since May 2014.
California employers added 41,200 net jobs in October, a significant increase from more sluggish growth reported a month earlier, according to federal data.
The number of jobs created by new businesses fell 7% in the first quarter from the fourth quarter of 2014 on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Labor Department said this week. From a decade ago, the figure is down 18%.
While those on the economic ladder’s top rungs are doing very well, the report continued, “many other Californians, however, are not thriving and continue to experience significant levels of unemployment, steeply rising housing and higher education costs, and stagnant wages and incomes.”
More than a quarter of U.S. workers are now employed in a field licensed at the state level, according to a recent White House study. And regulators continue to add to the roster of more than 1,100 occupations that require a license to operate in at least one state.
The California job market is getting closer to recovering from the Great Recession, but workers still face a diffi cult hiring environment. After losing 1.3 million jobs between July 2007 and February 2010, California has since added more than 2 million jobs.1 Despite this progress, the labor market is not yet back to pre-recession strength.
The State of California added 23,000 private sector jobs during the month of October, according to the ADP Regional Employment Report
U.S. employers hired at their strongest clip this year in October and wage growth picked up, signs of reassurance for Federal Reserve officials as they weigh an interest-rate raise before year’s end.