Over 61,000 People Were Helped By Goodwill During 2011

PITTSBURGH, April 10, 2012 – Services and programs provided by Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania helped 61,308 individuals last year, according to the agency’s recently released annual report for 2011. Over 40,000 benefitted from a variety of community services and more than 11,000 received job-related services through PA CareerLink. Other major service areas were education, employment placement, and transitional and youth services.

            One of the area’s largest and most diverse human services agencies, Goodwill SWPA also reported that it recycled 26,157,148 pounds of donated goods during 2011, including 2,519,045 pounds of computers and E-waste items; 4,708,715 pounds of recyclables such as aluminum, plastic, glass and newspapers collected at the Goodwill-operated Fayette County Recycling Center; 18,685,004 pounds of retail recyclables such as books, shoes, toys and housewares; and 244,384 pounds of toner containers.

            Total revenues for Goodwill SWPA in 2011 were $47,071,593 compared to $46,674,358 in 2010. Expenses for program services and supporting services for 2011 were $45,163,573, resulting in a consolidated change in net assets of $1,908,020, compared to 2010 expenses of $40,802,523 and a consolidated change in net assets of $5,871,835.

February Job Report Shows Positive Trends

The jobs outlook improved once again in February as both new employment and the overall labor force rose for the third straight month. Employers added over a quarter of a million private sector jobs, beating conservative Wall Streetestimates that called for a 210,000 increase.

Private-sector employment grew by 233,000 jobs, 227,000 of which consist of nonfarm payroll employment. Employment rose in professional and businesses services (+82,000) with temp services accounting for just over half that figure at 45,000. Health care and social assistance also posted gains (+61,000), as did leisure and hospitality (+44,000), and manufacturing industries (+31,000).

The unemployment rate is holding steady at 8.3 percent after falling in recent months. The long-term unemployment numbers, tracking those who have been jobless for 27 weeks or more, fell slightly from 5.5 million to 5.4 million. The long-term unemployed account for over 42% of the total unemployment figure.

One of the most promising indicators lies within the U-6 rate, which declined to 14.9 percent, the lowest reading in more than three years. Often referred to as the “underemployment rate”, the U-6 rate doesn’t just measure the percentage of people in the U.S. that are unemployed — the figure most often quoted in the media, which is sometimes called the U-3 rate — it also tracks two other very important groups. 

The U-6 rate also accounts for those who are marginally attached to the work force — unemployed people who, for whatever reason, have not looked for work in the 4 weeks prior to the survey, whether due to school attendance, family responsibilities, or because they simply gave up looking for work.  It also tracks those who would prefer full-time employment, but due to economic circumstances are working part-time jobs instead.

According to Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “This month's report makes another addition to a solid and improving trend in what has been the most important missing piece in the economic recovery so far: conditions in the job market.”

Another interesting point lies within the December and January job numbers, which were both recently revised. December’s final job tally rose from 203,000 additional jobs to 223,000, a 20,000 job difference. January’s results were even more drastic, going from 243,000 estimated jobs to 284,000. So overall, an additional 60,000 jobs that were not initially counted have now been added to the totals, making February’s increases that much more significant.

U.S. adds 243,000 jobs in January

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 243,000 in January, and the unemployment rate decreased to 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job growth was widespread in the private sector, with large employment gains in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government employment changed little over the month.

Private-sector employment grew by 257,000, with the largest employment gains in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government employment was little changed over the month.

 Professional and business services continued to add jobs in January (+70,000). About half of the increase occurred in employment services (+33,000). Job gains also occurred in accounting and bookkeeping (+13,000) and in architectural and engineering services (+7,000).

Over the month, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 44,000, primarily in food services and drinking places (+33,000). Since a recent low in February 2010, food services has added 487,000 jobs.

In January, health care employment continued to grow (+31,000). Within the industry, hospitals and ambulatory care services each added 13,000 jobs.

 Wholesale trade employment increased by 14,000 over the month. Since a recent employment low in May 2010, wholesale trade has added 144,000 jobs.

Employment in retail trade continued to trend up in January. Job gains in department stores (+19,000), health and personal care stores (+7,000), and automobile dealers (+7,000) were partially offset by losses in clothing and clothing accessory stores (-14,000). Since an employment trough in December 2009, retail trade has added 390,000 jobs.

In January, employment in information declined by 13,000, including a loss of 8,000 jobs in the motion picture and sound recording industry.

In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing added 50,000 jobs. Nearly all of the increase occurred in durable goods manufacturing, with job growth in fabricated metal products (+11,000), machinery (+11,000), and motor vehicles and parts (+8,000). Durable goods manufacturing has added 418,000 jobs over the past 2 years.

Employment in construction increased by 21,000 in January, following a gain of 31,000 in the previous month. Over the past 2 months, nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 30,000 jobs.

Mining added 10,000 jobs in January, with most of the gain in support activities for mining (+8,000). Since a recent low in October 2009, mining employment has expanded by 172,000.

Government employment changed little in January. Over the past 12 months, the sector has lost 276,000 jobs, with declines in local government; state government, excluding education; and the U.S. Postal Service.

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged in January. The manufacturing workweek increased by 0.3 hour to 40.9 hours, and factory overtime increased by 0.1 hour to 3.4 hours.

Pittsburgh Unemployment Down to 6.9% in December

HARRISBURG (JANUARY 31) – In December, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was down two-tenths of a percentage point to 6.9 percent. The local rate remained below Pennsylvania’s rate (7.6%), which fell three-tenths of a percentage point, and the United States’ rate (8.5%), which was down two-tenths of a percentage point. 


Over the year, the Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate was down a full percentage point, while Pennsylvania’s rate and the national rate were both down nine-tenths of a percentage point.


Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA was tied for the 5th lowest unemployment rate in December. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.4%) had the lowest rate while Fayette County (8.6%) had the highest rate. 


Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.1 percent in Centre County to 11.5 percent in Cameron County.


Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA rose 5,200 in December to 1,156,300, the highest level since April 2001. December marked the tenth increase in 2011. Pennsylvania’s nonfarm job count increased by 6,500 in December to 5,699,100, the highest level since January 2009. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 26,600 (2.4%) from December 2010, while Pennsylvania’s jobs rose 59,200 (1.0%) from last year’s level.


Pittsburgh MSA service-providing jobs rose 4,200 in December, establishing a new record level of 1,016,900 jobs. Trade, transportation, & utilities (+5,200) accounted for a majority of the service-providing jobs increase as local retailers continued to add seasonal employment. 


Leisure & hospitality and education & health services supersectors incurred the largest over-the-month declines, down 900 jobs each. Both declines were expected as leisure & hospitality generally shows a sizable decline in December, and education & health services typically experiences a reduction in employment due to the ending of the fall school semester. 


Over the year, education & health services (+10,400) and trade, transportation, & utilities (+7,700) have provided the greatest job growth, while government (-1,000) and information (-200) have experienced the largest employment declines.

U.S. gains 200,000 jobs in December!

By Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate fell for the fourth month in a row, the government said Friday, in a fresh sign the economy is picking up and businesses are more willing to hire.

The increase in jobs last month — the fourth biggest gain of 2011 — suggests the U.S. is entering the new year with renewed vigor. Faster hiring puts more money in the hands of consumers and usually leads to an increase in spending. That’s a big deal since consumer spending accounts for as much as 70% of economic growth.


The unemployment rate edged down to 8.5% from an upwardly revised 8.7% in November, the Labor Department said.


The U.S. was expected to add 150,000 jobs and the jobless rate was forecast to rise to 8.7% from an initially reported 8.6% in November, according to a MarketWatch survey of economists. 


Read more: http://bit.ly/yKpXgw

PITTSBURGH MSA UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN TO 7.0%

HARRISBURG (DECEMBER 1) – In October, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) fell four-tenths of a percentage point to 7.0 percent, the second consecutive decline of four-tenths of a percentage point.

The local rate remained below Pennsylvania’s rate (8.1%) which fell two-tenths of a percentage point and the United States’ rate (9.0%) which was down one-tenth of a percentage point. Over the year, the Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate was down nine-tenths of a percentage point, while Pennsylvania’s rate was down four-tenths of a percentage point, and the national rate fell seven-tenths of a percentage point over the same period.

Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA was ranked as the 5th lowest unemployment rate in October. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.4%) had the lowest rate while Fayette County (8.7%) had the highest rate. Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 5.3 percent in Centre County to 11.2 percent in Cameron County.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA rose 8,400 in October to 1,149,600. October tied for the third largest employment increase on record. Statewide jobs also showed growth, up 13,800 to 5,690,900. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 21,600 (1.9%) from October 2010, while Pennsylvania’s jobs rose 54,500 (1.0%) from last year’s level.

Pittsburgh Region's Unemployment Rate Declines

Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region fell in September, a sign the economy is improving as employers add more jobs, experts said.

The jobless rate in the seven-county region declined to 7.4 percent, down 0.4 of a percentage point from 7.8 percent in August, the first decline after four months of rate increases, the state said today.

"This is a good report. The economy is going upstream. We're still not at 2007 and 2008 (pre-recession) levels, but we're not that far from there," said Frank Gamrat, an economist and senior research associate for the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, a Castle Shannon think tank.

The jobless rate fell mainly because schools reopened and rehired staff, adding 7,200 jobs, state and area economists said. Another big jump came in the transportation and warehousing sector, which added 3,400. On the negative side, wholesale and retail trades lost 3,400.

The region -- Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties -- continued a trend of year-over-year job increases. There were almost 13,000 more jobs in September than a year ago, increasing the total to 1.147 million, the state Center for Workforce Information and Analysis said in its report.

In September, Pennsylvania's jobless rate was 8.3 percent and the national rate was 9.1 percent.

Not all the region's economic news was good.

While the region's jobs picture is better off than a year ago, Harold Miller, president of Future Strategies LLC, a Downtown consulting firm, said the rate of regional growth slowed a bit from August to September, compared to pre-recession levels of September 2008.
Local schools experienced the job increases from August to September, but there were 2,700 fewer total local education jobs than a year ago, which is likely the results of cutbacks caused by the reduction in state funding, Miller said.

"We are slowly creeping back up," Miller said. "It was pretty much a typical September. It was pretty weak on the government side."

The manufacturing sector, where the region had lost 12,000 jobs in the recession, has added 3,300 jobs since the recession ended in July 2009, bring its total to 89,600 jobs in September, Miller said.

"We're adding jobs, but the jobs are not coming back where we lost them," Miller said, about the shrinking number of manufacturing jobs.

Read more: Region's unemployment rate declines - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_764828.html