https://unemployment.ohio.gov/
Friday, July 23, 2010
On July 22, 2010, President Obama signed legislation that extends the deadlines for the federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program and federal funding for State Extended Benefits. As a result, claimants who recently exhausted their benefits may be able to restart their claims.
Claimants should continue to file for benefits, which will be retroactive to the former program deadlines of May/June, 2010 by calling 1-866-962-4064 toll-free between 7:00 AM. and 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on Saturday. Because of the late passage of this extension, claimants may notice a delay in the posting of funds to their accounts.
The new legislation extends the deadlines as follows:
EUC, or federal extended benefits. The legislation extends deadlines for this program from May 29, 2010 to November 27, 2010. Eligible individuals may continue to collect benefits until April 30, 2011. This program continues to offer a maximum of 53 weeks of extended unemployment benefits. The new legislation did not add any more weeks of benefits.
For further information, please see UC Federal Extended Benefits FAQs.
The 100 percent federal funding for State Extended Benefits. The legislation extends deadlines for federal funding of State Extended Benefits – known as “Ohio EB” or “Ohio Extended Benefits” – from June 5, 2010 to December 4, 2010. This program continues to offer a maximum of 20 weeks of extended unemployment benefits. The new legislation did not add any more weeks of benefits.
For further information, please see UC State Extended Benefits FAQs.
NOTE: The new legislation did not extend the deadline for the Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) program. The FAC program allows states to pay an additional $25 for each week that an individual receives unemployment benefits. Only individuals who established regular unemployment claims prior to May 29, 2010, may receive the additional $25 payment through the week ending December 4, 2010. For further information, please see UC Changes Due to Stimulus Package.
Happy 4th of July 2010 !!
Showing posts with label unemployment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unemployment. Show all posts
Friday, July 23, 2010
Updated PDF Files (7-23-10) from the State of Ohio UE Website
I received the pre-recorded message from the UE office this afternoon... States to call 1-866-962-4064 to re-start your claim.... I called at 319pm, it's now 430pm and still on hold waiting for a rep to pick up... They are going to be VERY busy over the next week! Be patient and NICE when you get to a Rep!! It is not an easy job on their end either :_)
{This is the ## for the State of Ohio UE}
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Federal UE ext. info
http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocomm_root/Ext-Benefits-FAQ-2008REV.pdf
26 weeks of original UE and addt 53 weeks of Federal ext = 79 weeks, then 20 weeks of Ohio ext = 99 weeks total. Only those states with high UE rate were given the addt 20 weeks by state which will bring one to 99 total weeks of UE pymts. Hope this helps :)
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State of Ohio ext. Info
http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocomm_root/StateEB_FAQ_Final.pdf
20 weeks of Ohio ext benefits - after one is done will all 4 federal tiers
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UE -FAC Addt. $25 / week info
http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocomm_root/ChangestoUCFAQs.pdf
Addt $25 / week on top of the regular Federal or State UE pymts is continuing too.
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Thanks, Cathy
~ My Website: www.lifeaftervc2008.weebly.com ~
.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Benefits running out for jobless
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/07/01/copy/benefits-running-out-for-jobless.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
Thursday, July 1, 2010 02:55 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
More than 98,000 out-of-work Ohioans are getting by without a weekly unemployment check as congressional leaders continue trying to muster the votes needed to pass another extension.
The workers exhausting benefits in June will be joined by an additional 83,000 who - barring action at the federal level - will drop off the rolls in July.
Without an extension, Maureen Compton's unemployment benefits will end Aug. 10, and she's "terrified."
"I could lose my house, my car and everything else," she said. "We are barely making it on (my husband's) income and my unemployment. Come Aug. 11, I'm not sure what we'll be facing."
The 48-year-old Worthington mother has been out of work for nine months and recently returned to school to earn a teaching degree.
Last night, for the third time in as many weeks, Senate Republicans successfully filibustered a bill to continue providing unemployment checks.
But this time, since the slimmed-down measure attracted two Republican votes, its passage seems assured next month once a replacement is in place for Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., who died Monday.
The extension has been bottled up for weeks in the Senate, with majority Democrats failing to pass it as part of a broader jobs bill amid concerns about increasing the deficit.
Immediately after the jobless-aid vote, the Senate cleared for President Barack Obama's signature a measure to give homebuyers an extra three months to finish qualifying for federal tax incentives that boosted home sales last spring.
Ohio Job and Family Services Director Douglas Lumpkin said he's telling his workers, and the local agencies and charities that assist those in need, to prepare for the worst.
The state is sending letters to the unemployed about three weeks before they are set to exhaust benefits, encouraging them to keep filing because previous extensions have been retroactive, and to contact their county agencies to learn about training programs and assistance such as food stamps, subsidized health care and emergency cash.
"People are at risk and what we're trying to do is make people aware and make sure our local systems are aware," Lumpkin said.
With the state's unemployment rate at 10.7 percent, 321,000 Ohioans currently collect unemployment.
The last federal extension ended in May. Until early June, eligible workers could receive up to 99 weeks of benefits - 26 weeks of state-funded unemployment and 73 weeks of extended benefits paid by the federal government, broken into five tiers.
Now, only 26 weeks of state benefits are available, and recipients exhaust aid when they finish their state benefits or come to the end of their federal tier.
Gov. Ted Strickland and other governors continue to lobby Congress for an extension.
"It seems so unreasonable to me that a handful of senators could keep thousands of unemployed workers from receiving these benefits that they so desperately need," Strickland said. "What do they expect these people to do?"
Asked if GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich supports an extension, his spokesman Rob Nichols said, "John believes that it needs to be extended.
"Given the current state of Ohio's economy, we're left without a lot of choices in the short term. We certainly need to fix this program, but, right now, people still need help," Nichols added.
Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy of Columbus said, "It's time to end the politics-as-usual approach in Washington that puts finger-pointing and scoring points in front of delivering real help to people who are out of work through no fault of their own."
But GOP Rep. Pat Tiberi said Republicans don't want to add to the federal deficit.
"When I was in high school, my family had to rely on unemployment after my dad lost his job, so I certainly understand how important that safety net is for struggling families," Tiberi said. "However, Congress has provided for up to 99 weeks of unemployment insurance, the most ever, and Americans are growing wary of our mounting debt."
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said, "Congress should not adjourn for the July 4th holiday weekend without passing an extension of unemployment insurance. "
Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, said he would vote for the extension if Democrats agree to partially offset the cost with unspent stimulus money.
Dispatch reporter Mark Niquette and Senior Editor Joe Hallett contributed to this story.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Unemployment Info Update from their website
Friday, June 25, 2010On Thursday, June 24, legislation that would have extended eligibility deadlines for extended unemployment compensation benefits did not pass in the Senate. It is now unclear if claimants who exhaust their regular unemployment compensation will, at some point in the future, be eligible for extended benefits. Without the federal extension, claimants who exhaust their current tier of Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) will not be eligible for the next tier. Additionally, the federally funded State Extended Benefits (Ohio EB) and the $25 supplement of Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) may not be reinstated. |
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Ohio - Unemployment Website Update 4-16-10
Click here: JFS - Ohio Unemployment Benefits Online
Friday, April 16, 2010
Early on April 15, 2010, President Obama signed legislation that will extend deadlines for the federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program – and the Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) program and federal funding for State Extended Benefits – by two months. As a result, claimants who exhausted their benefits last week may be able to restart their claims.
Claimants should continue to file for benefits, which will be retroactive to the former program deadline of April 3, 2010. Because of the late passage of this extension, claimants may notice a slight delay in the posting of funds to their accounts.
The new legislation extends the deadlines for the following programs:
EUC, or federal extended benefits. The legislation extends deadlines for this program from April 3, 2010, to May 29, 2010. Individuals with a remaining balance of EUC benefits after May 29 may continue to collect benefits until November 6, 2010.
For further information, please see UC Federal Extended Benefits FAQs.
Federal Additional Compensation, or FAC. The FAC program allows states to pay an additional $25 for each week that an individual receives unemployment benefits. The legislation extends FAC deadlines from April 3, 2010 to May 29, 2010. Individuals who establish regular unemployment claims prior to May 29, 2010, may receive the additional $25 payment through the week ending December 4, 2010.
For further information, please see UC Changes Due to Stimulus Package.
The 100 percent federal funding for State Extended Benefits. The legislation extends deadlines for federal funding of State Extended Benefits – known as “Ohio EB” or “Ohio Extended Benefits” – from April 10, 2010 to June 5, 2010. In order to receive these benefits, claimants must establish eligibility by May 9, 2010.
For further information, please see UC State Extended Benefits FAQs.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Early on April 15, 2010, President Obama signed legislation that will extend deadlines for the federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program – and the Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) program and federal funding for State Extended Benefits – by two months. As a result, claimants who exhausted their benefits last week may be able to restart their claims.
Claimants should continue to file for benefits, which will be retroactive to the former program deadline of April 3, 2010. Because of the late passage of this extension, claimants may notice a slight delay in the posting of funds to their accounts.
The new legislation extends the deadlines for the following programs:
For further information, please see UC Federal Extended Benefits FAQs.
For further information, please see UC Changes Due to Stimulus Package.
For further information, please see UC State Extended Benefits FAQs.
Obama Signs $18B Jobless Benefits Bill
Click here: Obama Signs $18B Jobless Benefits Bill | NBC4i.com
Obama Signs $18B Jobless Benefits Bill
AP Graphic
UPDATE: Just hours after Congress passed an $18 billion bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, President Barack Obama made it the law of the land.
Associated Press
Published: April 16, 2010
Published: April 16, 2010
» 2 Comments | Post a Comment
WASHINGTON—Just hours after Congress passed an $18 billion bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, President Barack Obama made it the law of the land.
The measure comes as welcome relief to hundreds of thousands of people who lost out on the additional weeks of compensation after exhausting their state-paid benefits. They now will be able to reapply for long-term unemployment benefits and receive those checks retroactively under the legislation.
The bill also restores full Medicare payments to doctors who were threatened by a 21 percent cut and refloats the flood insurance program.
Obama signed the bill when he returned to the White House on Thursday night from fundraisers in Miami and a speech earlier in the day at Cape Canaveral, presidential spokesman Bill Burton said.
Obama thanked Congress for passing the temporary extension, saying it was critical to help struggling families make ends meet.
“Millions of Americans who lost their jobs in this economic crisis depend on unemployment and health insurance benefits to get by as they look for work and get themselves back on their feet,“ Obama said in a statement. “But as I requested in my budget, I urge Congress to move quickly to extend these benefits through the end of this year.“
The legislation cleared both houses of Congress on Thursday night. The House passed the bill 289-112 just two hours after it emerged from the Senate on a 59-38 vote that capped an unusually partisan debate. Republicans largely chose to take a stand against the legislation for adding to the $12.8 trillion national despite backing it by wide margins in December and again recently.
“It increases the deficit by $18 billion, a cost to be paid for by future generations,“ said Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. “This legislation is yet another unfortunate example of business as usual in our nation’s capital.“
Several other popular programs had also expired, including federal flood insurance, higher Medicare payment rates for doctors and generous health insurance subsidies for people who have lost their jobs.
The situation became more urgent Thursday afternoon when Medicare announced that it would start paying doctors’ claims at a 21 percent lower rate. That won’t be necessary now.
Thursday’s measure provides up to 99 weekly unemployment checks averaging $335 to people whose 26 weeks of state-paid benefits have run out. It’s a temporary extension through June 2 that gives House and Senate Democrats time to iron out a measure to fund the program through the end of the year.
Fewer than 1 in 3 House Republicans voted for the measure. Just three Senate Republicans did. The sole Democrat to oppose it was longtime budget hawk Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee.
The bill also extends a program created under last year’s economic stimulus bill that gives unemployed people a 65 percent subsidy on health care premiums under the so-called COBRA program.
On successive votes earlier in the day, Democrats narrowly turned back two amendments by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., that would have paid for the measure over time by cutting spending and raising almost $10 billion in revenues with a variety of Democratic-backed ideas to tighten the tax code. One of Coburn’s amendments was killed by a 50-48 vote.
The topic of providing additional weeks of jobless benefits in the midst of bad times had been regarded as routine. But with conservative voters and tea party activists up in arms about the deficit, conservative Senate Republicans upset about the deficit have twice caused interruptions of jobless benefits and other programs.
In February, Jim Bunning, R-Ky., single-handedly blocked an extension of unemployment benefits in an unsuccessful bid to force Democrats to pay for them. The measure passed on a 78-19 vote after Republicans were smacked by a public relations backlash.
But many Republicans believe it was a stand worth taking, including Coburn, who blocked a vote last month on another short-term extension.
By the time Senators returned from a two-week recess on Monday, only four Republicans - Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Scott Brown of Massachusetts and George Voinovich of Ohio - voted with Democrats to defeat a GOP filibuster of the bill. Only Voinovich, Collins and Snowe voted for the bill on Thursday.
Democrats said it was the wrong topic for Republicans to take a stand on the deficit after voting for tax cuts, wars and a new Medicare drug benefit without paying for them.
“They seem to have discovered fiscal responsibility when it comes time to extend unemployment benefits but not when it came to paying for tax cuts for the rich and the Iraq war,“ said Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich.
Twenty-one Senate Republicans voted for the earlier extension last month and House GOP leaders opted against even forcing a vote. But Thursday’s vote came after senators spent two weeks among their constituents - and as thousands of tea party activists came to Washington to protest on deadline day for filing taxes.
“I think people spent two weeks out listening to people about spending and debt,“ Coburn said.
The House has twice this year approved short-term extensions of jobless benefits and other expired programs.
The various programs in the longer-term legislation represent much of the Democrats’ remaining agenda on job creation. One of the reasons the short-term legislation was needed is that House and Senate Democrats are having difficulty resolving their differences on how to pay for a package of expired tax breaks for individuals and businesses.
Other elements of the jobs agenda such as cash to build roads and schools and help local governments keep teachers on the payroll, remain on the shelf for a lack of money to pay for them.
Democrats said deficit-financed jobless benefits not only needed to help people unable to find work but that they are one of the most effective ways to pump up the still-struggling economy.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
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Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Senate Approves Jobless Aid, Road Funding 3-02-2010
Click here: FOXNews.com - Senate Approves Jobless Aid, Road Funding
AP - March 02, 2010
Senate Approves Jobless Aid, Road Funding
The 78-19 vote came after a GOP senator who was single-handedly holding up the legislation finally relented under withering assaults by Democrats and dwindling support within his own party.
WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Tuesday passed a $10 billion measure to maintain unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and provide stopgap funding for highway programs after a holdout Republican dropped stalling tactics that had generated a Washington firestorm.
Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning had been holding up action for days but conceded after pressure intensified with Monday's cutoff of road funding and extended unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for the jobless.
Bunning wanted to force Democrats to find ways to finance the bill so that it wouldn't add to the deficit, but his move sparked a political tempest that subjected Republicans to withering media coverage and cost the party politically. Bunning's support among Republicans was dwindling, while Democrats used to being on the defensive over health care and the deficit seemed to relish the battle.
The bill passed by a 78-19 vote. It passed the House last week and President Barack Obama is likely sign the bill into law quickly so that 2,000 furloughed Transportation Department workers can go back to work on Wednesday.
Doctors faced the prospect of a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments, and federal flood insurance programs had lapsed with Monday's expiration of an earlier stopgap bill that passed late last year.
Tuesday's action will provide a month long extension of the expired programs to give Congress time to pass a yearlong -- and far more costly -- fix that's also pending.
Without the legislation, about 200,000 jobless people would have lost federal benefits this week alone, according to the liberal-leaning National Employment Law Project. Jobless people normally get 26 weeks of unemployment benefits and 20 more weeks in states with higher unemployment rates. The legislation extends several additional layers of benefits added since 2008 because of the stubborn recession.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bunning objected to a request by Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a fellow Republican, to pass a 30-day extension of jobless benefits and other expired measures.
When asked Tuesday if Bunning was hurting the Republican Party, Collins said, "He's hurting the American people."
Other Republicans were more diplomatic in their assessments of Bunning, who has a stubborn and often irascible personality. Bunning is reluctantly retiring at the end of the current term and enjoys a tense relationship with homestate colleague and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who privately urged Bunning to step aside.
Bunning had blocked the stopgap legislation since Thursday, insisting that Democrats find offsetting revenues or spending cuts to finance the bill. Instead, he settled for a vote to close a tax loophole enjoyed by paper companies that get a credit from burning "black liquor," a pulp-making byproduct, as if it were an alternative fuel. The amendment failed.
Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, said that Bunning was accepting an offer that he had rejected for days.
"As a result ... unemployment benefits were cut off for thousands of people across America, assistance for health care was cut off across America, thousands of federal employees were furloughed," Durbin said.
Democrats had promised to force Bunning to repeatedly lodge objections to bringing the bill to a vote. Otherwise it could take almost a week to slog through the procedural steps required to take up the measure and defeat Bunning's filibuster.
"Today we have a clear-cut example to show the American people just what's wrong with Washington, D.C.," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said. "That is because today one single Republican senator is standing in the way of the unemployment benefits of 400,000 Americans."
Democrats promised to retroactively restore unemployment benefits and health care subsidies for the unemployed under the COBRA program. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood ordered furloughed employees back to work Wednesday.
The impasse had led to political gains for Democrats attacking Bunning and his fellow Republicans. Major cable news networks carried Tuesday morning's proceedings live and returned to the topic frequently.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has called up a $100-billion-plus measure to provide a longer-term extension of unemployment benefits that would last through the end of the year, along with a full-year extension of higher Medicare payments to doctors, help for states with their Medicaid budgets and a continuing a variety of expired tax breaks for individuals and businesses.
Click here for FOX News RSS Feeds
AP - March 02, 2010
Senate Approves Jobless Aid, Road Funding
The 78-19 vote came after a GOP senator who was single-handedly holding up the legislation finally relented under withering assaults by Democrats and dwindling support within his own party.
WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Tuesday passed a $10 billion measure to maintain unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and provide stopgap funding for highway programs after a holdout Republican dropped stalling tactics that had generated a Washington firestorm.
Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning had been holding up action for days but conceded after pressure intensified with Monday's cutoff of road funding and extended unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for the jobless.
Bunning wanted to force Democrats to find ways to finance the bill so that it wouldn't add to the deficit, but his move sparked a political tempest that subjected Republicans to withering media coverage and cost the party politically. Bunning's support among Republicans was dwindling, while Democrats used to being on the defensive over health care and the deficit seemed to relish the battle.
The bill passed by a 78-19 vote. It passed the House last week and President Barack Obama is likely sign the bill into law quickly so that 2,000 furloughed Transportation Department workers can go back to work on Wednesday.
Doctors faced the prospect of a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments, and federal flood insurance programs had lapsed with Monday's expiration of an earlier stopgap bill that passed late last year.
Tuesday's action will provide a month long extension of the expired programs to give Congress time to pass a yearlong -- and far more costly -- fix that's also pending.
Without the legislation, about 200,000 jobless people would have lost federal benefits this week alone, according to the liberal-leaning National Employment Law Project. Jobless people normally get 26 weeks of unemployment benefits and 20 more weeks in states with higher unemployment rates. The legislation extends several additional layers of benefits added since 2008 because of the stubborn recession.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bunning objected to a request by Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a fellow Republican, to pass a 30-day extension of jobless benefits and other expired measures.
When asked Tuesday if Bunning was hurting the Republican Party, Collins said, "He's hurting the American people."
Other Republicans were more diplomatic in their assessments of Bunning, who has a stubborn and often irascible personality. Bunning is reluctantly retiring at the end of the current term and enjoys a tense relationship with homestate colleague and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who privately urged Bunning to step aside.
Bunning had blocked the stopgap legislation since Thursday, insisting that Democrats find offsetting revenues or spending cuts to finance the bill. Instead, he settled for a vote to close a tax loophole enjoyed by paper companies that get a credit from burning "black liquor," a pulp-making byproduct, as if it were an alternative fuel. The amendment failed.
Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, said that Bunning was accepting an offer that he had rejected for days.
"As a result ... unemployment benefits were cut off for thousands of people across America, assistance for health care was cut off across America, thousands of federal employees were furloughed," Durbin said.
Democrats had promised to force Bunning to repeatedly lodge objections to bringing the bill to a vote. Otherwise it could take almost a week to slog through the procedural steps required to take up the measure and defeat Bunning's filibuster.
"Today we have a clear-cut example to show the American people just what's wrong with Washington, D.C.," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said. "That is because today one single Republican senator is standing in the way of the unemployment benefits of 400,000 Americans."
Democrats promised to retroactively restore unemployment benefits and health care subsidies for the unemployed under the COBRA program. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood ordered furloughed employees back to work Wednesday.
The impasse had led to political gains for Democrats attacking Bunning and his fellow Republicans. Major cable news networks carried Tuesday morning's proceedings live and returned to the topic frequently.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has called up a $100-billion-plus measure to provide a longer-term extension of unemployment benefits that would last through the end of the year, along with a full-year extension of higher Medicare payments to doctors, help for states with their Medicaid budgets and a continuing a variety of expired tax breaks for individuals and businesses.
Click here for FOX News RSS Feeds
Friday, February 26, 2010
Check out More quit job hunt until hiring grows
Click here: More quit job hunt until hiring grows | The Columbus Dispatch
More quit job hunt until hiring grows
Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:33 AM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chef trainee Kelley Bryan enjoys a joke by instructor Tony Hedger in Ladue, Mo. After having no luck finding clerical work, Bryan, 46, changed careers." href="/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/images/feb/0214_bn_DROP_OUT_02-14-10_D3_6RGIG1P_large.jpg" jquery1267192461558="2">![]()
Chef trainee Kelley Bryan enjoys a joke by instructor Tony Hedger in Ladue, Mo. After having no luck finding clerical work, Bryan, 46, changed careers." src="/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/images/feb/0214_bn_DROP_OUT_02-14-10_D3_6RGIG1P.jpg" border="0">
JEFF ROBERSON | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chef trainee Kelley Bryan enjoys a joke by instructor Tony Hedger in Ladue, Mo. After having no luck finding clerical work, Bryan, 46, changed careers.
Many jobless people have reached a conclusion that captures the depth of the unemployment crisis: Looking for a job is a waste of time.
The economy is growing, yet it's creating few jobs. That's why in the past eight months, 1.8 million people without jobs left the labor market. Many had grown so frustrated that they quit looking for work.
And it's why Barbara Bishop sat at her kitchen table in suburban Atlanta last month and joined their ranks. Her decision came seven months after she quit a public-relations job that seemed about to be axed. Sending out resumes got her nowhere. So Bishop made a list of her skills and decided to launch a business.
"I don't want to look anymore," she said of the job hunt. "It's become very discouraging."
The unemployment rate is 9.7 percent. But so many jobless people have quit looking that if they're combined with the part-time workers who would prefer to work full time, the so-called "underemployment" rate is 16.5 percent.
Their outsize numbers show that even though the economy is growing, the job market is stagnant. Employers remain reluctant to hire.
The exodus from the job market halted in January, when a net total of 111,000 people re-entered. But 661,000 had left in December. And the trend since spring has been people leaving the work force.
"It's very unusual," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. "At this point in the business cycle, we should be seeing some sort of labor-force growth. Layoffs have abated, but there really has been no pickup in hiring."
Some of the jobless are concluding it's more practical to return to school, start a business or care for their kids at home until the job market improves.
Kelley Bryan hopes to re-enter the job market next year, retrained for a new career. She was laid off a year ago after more than 20 years as a secretary.
Bryan spent three frustrating months looking for a similar job near her suburban St. Louis home. Last spring, she decided to return to school. She obtained a federal Pell Grant and enrolled at the L'Ecole Culinaire chef-training school.
At 46, Bryan was surprised to find herself learning to make soup stocks and creme brulee with former autoworkers and other 40-somethings. They, too, are changing careers after losing jobs.
For many, the struggle might not end once the job market improves. As more people re-enter the work force, competition will tighten, Zandi said.
"Even if the job market gains some traction this year, unemployment is going to rise," he said.
Check out 211 is the Loneliest Number When Waiting for a Job
Click here: 211 is the Loneliest Number When Waiting for a Job - Careers Articles
the Loneliest Number When Waiting for a Job
Filed under: Employment News & Trends, Unemployment News
Posted Feb 18th 2010 2:47PM
By Lisa Johnson Mandell
But don't despair! Instead, let that desolate number inspire you to get cracking ASAP, just as soon as the door closes behind you at your former place of employment. Don't wait for unemployment benefits to kick in -- you know they're only a fraction of what you were making before anyway. Prove that you can almost singlehandedly bring that ugly 211 number down, way down, by hitting the job-search ground running. All the best employment experts advise this.
The Best Time to Start Looking for a New Job
John Challenger, CEO of Challenger Gray & Christmas, a company that is hired to help employees adjust and find new positions after they've been released from a job, says one of the biggest mistakes people make when they get laid off is not starting their new job search fast enough. "Many people spend too much time trying to figure out what they want to do, and give up the time when they're most valuable to employers," he says. Challenger says that there are employers out there who are looking to snap up top employees as soon as they become available; but after a certain amount of time, they start wondering, "Why hasn't anyone else hired this person yet?"
So contrary to what you might think and feel, it's not a good idea to use your severance pay to take a long break and try to find yourself, or to finally write that novel. Many people reason that the job situation appears to be getting better, with unemployment down from 10 percent to 9.7 percent last month, and that the longer they wait, the better chance they'll have of finding a job.
Not so, my friend. According to some estimates, 11.5 million U.S. citizens are collecting some type of unemployment insurance right now, and it will run out for 1.2 million of them in March, when federal extensions are scheduled to expire. Time -- for them -- is literally running out. There's a chance that Congress could extend unemployment benefits, but who wants to sit around and wait for that to happen?
Don't Let the Screen Door Hit You
You should start revising your résumé and searching online job boards as soon as you get home with your pink slip. Don't allow yourself the luxury of getting depressed and lethargic. Many people register with a temp agency in their field, so they can fill in when someone is sick, make contacts, and get to know different sides of their industry. For teachers, this means signing up to substitute and/or with tutoring agencies. [See Temp Agency Reviews.]
For me personally, it meant signing on with entertainment temp agencies. Sure, it involved a lot of go-fering and Xeroxing and coffee running -- all chores I considered beneath my 42-year-old, college-educated self. But I didn't even have the luxury of severance pay or unemployment benefits, and when I finally landed my dream job as a Hollywood magazine teacherseditor, the insider contacts I'd made temping at studios and agencies came in very handy. And I was only out of a full-time job for six weeks. I didn't have time to lose my work momentum, get out of 9-5 shape, or get behind on my mortgage payments.
Don't let that long, 211-day wait get you down. Look at it as a challenge. Laugh in its face. The job market loves the proactive, and leaves those who wait in the dust.
- Don't Miss: 10 Companies Hiring Right Now
Lisa Johnson Mandell is an award-winning multi-media journalist and author of Career Comeback--Repackage Yourself to Get the Job You Want. Learn more on LisaJohnsonMandell.com.
Check out Congress Leaving Unemployment Benefits Extension To The Last Minute
Click here: Congress Leaving Unemployment Benefits Extension To The Last Minute
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is paring back a jobs bill proposal unveiled earlier on Thursday by the Senate Finance Committee, dropping an extension of unemployment insurance and COBRA health insurance subsidies for laid-off workers. The Senate is taking a break next week, so that stuff will have to wait until the end of the month -- the last moment before the previous extension runs out.
"State agencies are going to start sending out letters next week letting people know that their benefits are going to expire," said Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project.
So, even though it's entirely likely that Congress will pass an extension before Feb. 28 -- barring another major blizzard -- some people will nevertheless receive letters telling them they're not eligible for the next "tier" of benefits.
Last year's stimulus bill provided up to 53 additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits (broken into several tiers) and a 65 percent subsidy of COBRA health insurance. When those provisions expired at the end of December, Congress scrambled to extend them another three months. If they're allowed to expire at the end of the month, 1.2 million people will exhaust their unemployment benefits in March.
"I think it's disturbing because there are four tiers of emergency unemployment compensation benefits, and if you're on a given tier, you only have a few weeks if the program isn't extended... Individuals could look at running out of benefits in a week or several weeks," said Rich Hobbie, director of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.
Aside from the anxiety the situation creates for the unemployed, Hobbie said it's a huge administrative burden for state agencies. Norm Isotalo, spokesman for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, said Congress's dithering does indeed make work for his office.
"February 28 is rapidly approaching and we still don't have any certainty if the ending date is going to be extended, so the agency is preparing to wind down the payments of extended federally-funded unemployment benefits," Isolato told HuffPost. "But on the other hand, we have to be ready to pull the plug on these wind-down efforts if Congress acts. It could be a lot of wind-down work that all may go for naught if Congress extends the deadline date for these programs. And of course we hope that they do."
Isotalo said that even if Congress interrupts his agency's wind-down work at the last second, unemployed Michiganders would not see an interruption of their unemployment checks.
NELP is frustrated that Congress insists on taking a piecemeal approach to extending the benefits (the extensions do not allow people to stay on unemployment insurance for longer than already provided by the stimulus bill -- they allow people who've been laid off more recently access to the same additional tiers of financial support given to people laid off last year). The piecemeal approach guarantees that every extension will happen at the last second.
"It will always be held victim to a blizzard, to partisan politics, a flood in the spring, elections in the fall," said Judy Conti of NELP, which would rather Congress extend benefits for a full year. "What's going on in Congress is an ever-changing game. The American people and communities surviving on these unemployment benefits can't be held victim to this process."
Check out Job losses cut off child support
Click here: Job losses cut off child support | Columbus Dispatch Politics
As the recession drags on, record numbers of Ohio parents can't afford their court-ordered child-support payments. The impact is astonishing: Statewide, child-support collections in January plunged 20 percent from the previous month, a drop of more than $27 million.
• Job loss pains one parent, who no longer can make support payments A4 • Unemployment toll may linger A5
| Job losses cut off child support Payments in Ohio drop 20 percent in January Sunday, February 21, 2010 1:21 AM THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH |
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As the recession drags on, record numbers of Ohio parents can't afford their court-ordered child-support payments. The impact is astonishing: Statewide, child-support collections in January plunged 20 percent from the previous month, a drop of more than $27 million.
And state officials expect collections will sink even lower as unemployment benefits -- which many jobless parents now rely on to pay child support -- dry up.
In January, more than $13 million in child support statewide was withheld from unemployment checks.
"We're going to see collections plummet when unemployment benefits run out," said Susan Brown, director of the Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency.
"We could lose almost $1 million in payments a month," she added, referring to county statistics.
Without the financial support, Brown said, many children and their families will be forced to seek food stamps, welfare and other tax-funded services.
That could start happening soon. About 25,000 Ohioans will exhaust jobless benefits this week with thousands more falling off the rolls in coming weeks unless Congress approves another extension of federal jobless aid.
"It's a huge concern," said Jeff Aldridge, deputy director of the state office of child support. "If there is no further extension, those people will roll off unemployment and will have no money to make support payments."
Over the past year, continued job loss has caused a surge in the number of parents paying child support from an unemployment check instead of a paycheck.
In December, jobless benefits were used to pay more than $14 million in child support, a staggering 30 percent increase from the previous month.
It's a trend that is responsible in large part for the drop in collections overall, officials said.
When a noncustodial parent loses a job, he or she can petition to have the court-ordered support reduced.
A spike in requests for administrative reviews shows that many parents have done so.
In Franklin County, such requests jumped 40 percent in 2009 and reached an all-time monthly high of 345 in September. In December, the most-recent statistics available, 277 people sought to have their payments reduced.
"When parents lose their job, we ask them to come in and get a review and adjustment so they can get their child support lowered and don't build up arrearages," Brown said.
While child-support orders statewide grew by 16,000 last year, the total amount parents were ordered to pay dropped $3 million, an indication that parents are paying less.
Gary Harris, 28, of Hilliard, last week asked county officials to review his support orders. He's paid little or no support for his three children since he lost his job after being sidelined by a knee injury last spring.
"I just haven't been able to pay," Harris said. "I want to but, until I get another job, it's tough."
ccandisky@
dispatch.com
• Job loss pains one parent, who no longer can make support payments A4 • Unemployment toll may linger A5
Check out What To Do When Unemployment Runs Out
Click here: What To Do When Unemployment Runs Out - Where To Get Help When Your Unemployment Checks Run Out
What To Do When Unemployment Runs Out
What To Do When Unemployment Runs Out Where to Get Help When Your Unemployment Checks Run Out
By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide
What can you do if your unemployment checks have run out, are about to run out, or, if you can't get by on unemployment benefits, which typically aren't enough to live on?
In addition to unemployment compensation, there are a variety of other resources available for individuals collecting unemployment, as well as for those who are out of unemployment benefits, and for their families.
Check for Updates on Unemployment Extensions
Additional Extended Unemployment Compensation benefits may be implemented. Check frequently for updates on possible federal unemployment extensions.
Government Assistance
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Each state has a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (formerly called welfare). TANF can help with food stamps, financial assistance, training, and job searching. This directory, from About.com's Guide to Single Parents Jennifer Wolf, has contact information for every state.
Food Stamps
The federal Food Stamp Program, now called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low income families and individuals buy food.
Medicaid
Medicaid provides medical benefits to low income people who have no medical insurance or have inadequate medical insurance.
WIC
WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC is a supplemental nutrition program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Additional Federal Benefit Programs
Information on federal assistance programs from About.com Guide to US Government Info Robert Longley, including: HUD Public Housing Assistance Program, Dislocated and Laid Off Worker Program, Dislocated Worker Program, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and health insurance programs for uninsured children.
State and Local Social Services Offices
Click on the map to find state and local social services offices in your locations.
Non-Profit and Social Services Agencies
Free Job Search Help
How job seekers can identify free, or inexpensive, job search and career resources in their geographic areas.
Career OneStop Assistance
In addition to employment resources, the Career OneStop Centers provide information on local resources such as community organizations that may be able to offer support with utility bills and food costs.
2-1-1 Call Center
Call to find local assistance with training, employment, food pantries, affordable housing, and support groups.
Directory of Homeless Shelters
Homeless shelters throughout the United States from the National Coalition of the Homeless.
Food Banks
Directory of Food Banks, listed by state. Food banks offer meals or groceries, or both.
Libraries and Churches
Check with your local library and your church for information on job search support groups and other assistance for unemployed workers and their families.
Job Search Resources
Job searching can be a major issue when you've lost your Internet access and/or don't have a computer. However, you can job search online without having your own computer. If you can access a computer at a library, for example, you'll be able to check email, create, update and print resumes and cover letters, and apply for jobs.
Online Job Search Guide
These resources provide advice on how to write resumes, CVs, cover letters and other employment letters, where to look for jobs, how to conduct a job search, the best way to use networking and social media to job search, how to interview successfully and negotiate compensation, and how to research employment related benefits and legal matters.
Save Money
15 Ways To Save Money on the Web
When your financial situation is tough, it's good idea to learn new ways to save money. Here are tips on how to save money from About.com's Guide to Web Search, Wendy Boswell.
Share Your Unemployment Story<
Many of those who have shared their unemployment stories felt a little better just because they were able to explain the reality of being unemployed and, in some cases, losing everything. If you'd like, tell us about the job you lost, what it's like being unemployed, and what you might have learned while you're out of work. Also read stories from others who are unemployed.
What to Do When Unemployment Runs Out
Unemployment Benefits
Check out Unemployment Extension - Extended Unemployment Benefits
Click here: Unemployment Extension - Extended Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment Extension
Unemployment Extension
Extended Unemployment Benefits
By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide
Feb 26 2010
Unemployment Extension Legislation Update
February 25 Update: The House has voted to extend unemployment benefits and COBRA subsidies for 30 days. The bill passed on a voice vote today and was sent to the Senate,
The extension was not approved in the Senate. Republican Senator Jim Bunning, Kentucky blocked the extension saying that the $10 billion bill would add to the budget deficit. If a vote is needed to override his objections that probably will not happen until next week. The current extended unemployment benefits program will expire on February 28.
If an extension isn't passed, unemployed workers would continue getting 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits and would complete the tier of extended benefits they are on, but would not be eligible for additional extended benefits or to move to a new tier.
Here's information on what to do when your unemployment checks run out and where unemployed workers can get assistance when they are out or about to run out of benefits.
If you're out of work, please add your story to our collection:
February 23 Update: There are reports that the Senate is discussing proposals for a 30 day, 10 month, or a full year of extended unemployment benefits. This would continue the extended unemployment benefits program which will expire on February 28.
February 1 Update: The current unemployment extensions are set to expire on February 28. The Senate and House Jobs Bills may include an extension, but they have not been finalized. It's important to let your Senator know that continued extensions are critical. Here's how to contact the Senate (from the National Employment Law Project):
Contact the Senate
January 20 Update: The National Employment Law Project is urging Congress to continue the extended unemployment benefits program, including full federal funding of Extended Benefits, the $25 per week in Federal Additional Compensation, and the 65% 15-month COBRA subsidy through the end of 2010.
December 22 Update: President Obama has signed legislation extending unemployment benefits, including extended unemployment benefits and the COBRA subsidy, that were set to expire at the end of the year through February.
Eligiblity depends your tier of benefits plus state guidelines, so when the legislation is passed, check with your State Unemployment Office website for details on who qualifies and when and how benefits will be paid.
December 19 Update: The Senate has passed a two-month extension of unemployment benefits through February 28, 2010. The legislation, already approved by the House. continues the Extended Benefits Program, the Federal Additional Compensation (extra $25 per week) and the COBRA subsidy. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation.
December 18 Update: The House has passed a two-month extension of unemployment benefits through the end of February. The new legislation continues the Extended Benefits Program, the Federal Additional Compensation.
November 18 Update: There has been quite a bit of confusion about the new unemployment extension, which provides for additional weeks of benefits for workers who run out of unemployment by the end of the year. Part of the reason is that the new legislation changed the exisiting tiers of benefits. Here's clarification on the new unemployment extension.
November 6 Update: President Obama has signed the unemployment extension legislation. Check with your state unemployment office for details on when payments will start being made. The extension provides for 14 weeks of extended benefit coverage for every state and an additional 6 weeks, for a total of 20 weeks, in high unemployment states where unemployment is over 8.5%.
October 28 Update: The Senate is moving closer to voting to extend unemployment insurance. The Senate agreed on an 87-13 procedural vote. However, the legislation is being negotiated in the Senate and may not be voted on until next week.
The National Employment Law Project has clarified who would be covered by the extension:
If you have exhausted your full range of federally funded benefits before the passage of this bill, you WILL be eligible for these additional weeks... However, in another important aspect, the bill is NOT retroactive. You will not receive a lump sum payment dating back to the time when you exhausted benefits. The benefits will only be paid going forward.
State Extended Benefits
Extended Unemployment Benefits are available to workers who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. There are triggers (calculations based on the state unemployment rate) that determine when a State will extend benefits.
The basic Extended Benefits program provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits when a State is experiencing high unemployment. Some States have also enacted a voluntary program to pay up to 7 additional weeks (20 weeks maximum) of Extended Benefits during periods of extremely high unemployment.
Amount of Benefits
The weekly benefit amount of Extended Benefits is the same as the individual received for regular unemployment compensation. The total amount of Extended Benefits that an individual could receive may be fewer than 13 weeks or fewer than 20 weeks.
How to Collect Extended Benefits
When a State begins an Extended Benefit period, it notifies those who have received all of their regular benefits that they may be eligible for Extended Benefits. You may contact the State Unemployment Insurance agency to ask whether Extended Benefits are available.
Check with your State Unemployment Office for information on what benefits you are entitled to.
DISCLAIMER:
The private web sites, and the information linked to both on and from this site, is opinion and information. While I have made every effort to link accurate and complete information, I cannot guarantee it is correct. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. This information is not legal advice and is for guidance only.
Unemployment
How to File for Unemployment
Check out First-time jobless claims fall more than expected
Click here: First-time jobless claims fall more than expected | The Columbus Dispatch
First-time jobless claims fall more than expected
Thursday, February 11, 2010 8:59 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to the lowest total in a month as states cleared out administrative delays left over from the Christmas holidays.
The Labor Department said that first-time claims for unemployment insurance dropped by 43,000 to a seasonally adjusted 440,000. Wall Street economists expected a smaller decline of 15,000, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters.
A Labor Department analyst said the decline largely reflects the end of administrative backlogs in California and other states that had elevated claims in the previous three weeks.
The winter storms that have pounded the Mid-Atlantic took place after last week's claims were filed, the analyst said. If they have an effect, it won't be evident until next week's data.
The four-week average fell by 1,000 to 468,500, the first drop after three weeks of increases.
Claims are now close to the low levels they reached in late December, when claims dropped to their lowest point in nearly 18 months. That is likely to raise hopes that the job market is improving.
The number of people claiming benefits for more than a week, meanwhile fell by nearly 80,000 to 4.5 million. That was a steeper decline than expected.
Check out 4 Tips for Getting a Job With Bad Credit
Click here: 4 Tips for Getting a Job With Bad Credit - Careers Articles
Tips for Getting a Job With Bad Credit
Filed under: Job Searching Tips, Unemployment Solutions
Posted Feb 5th 2010 6:00AM
By Thea Nyberg
With 9.7 percent (Bureau of Labor Statistics) of American workers currently out of a job and their bills mounting, Maria's story is becoming all too common. Dennis Nason, CEO of the recruiting firm Nason & Nason, says that long-term unemployment has created a snowball effect. "The longer one is out of work, the more [you] rely on credit and the tougher it is to make payments," he says. "If you are late the rates go up, banks cut credit and your score plummets even lower, making it tougher to find a job."
According to Nason, employers are looking at credit reports to find patterns or destructive habits that would be a security risk or detrimental to the work environment. Nason explains that a credit score below 700 is a warning, below 650 is a concern and below 600 is considered a red flag. Although some employers try to look past the numbers, rigid company policy can prevent them from being sympathetic.
So what can a job seeker with poor credit do?
1. Understand your rights
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers must gain permission to conduct a background or credit check. Additionally, employers must notify the job seeker if their credit score was the reason they were not hired. The employer must also report which credit reporting agency provided the information and provide a copy of the report so that the accuracy of its contents can be reviewed by the prospective employee.
Jordan Goodman, personal-finance expert and author of "Master Your Debt" explains that each credit reporting agency (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) must provide consumers with one free report a year, which was mandated by the FCRA. "Spread them out throughout the year," says Goodman. "You cannot get your score for free, though, just your report." To obtain the free yearly report, go to annualcreditreport.com, a Web site maintained by the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies.
In two states- Washington and Hawaii -state laws limit the use of credit histories in screening for job candidates. And in July 2009 a bill was introduced, H.R. 3149: The Equal Employment for All Act, which aims to amend the FCRA to prevent employers from using credit checks in their employment decisions against prospective and current employees. The bill's progress can be tracked through congress via Web sites such as govtrack.us and opencongress.org.
2. Know where you stand
"Pull your own credit report when you're considering applying for jobs," says personal-finance expert Peter Dunn, author of 60 Days to Change: A Daily How-to Guide with Actionable Tips for Improving Your Financial Life. "If you're on top of your credit report, you won't encounter any surprises during interviews." Dunn also suggests being prepared in advance by knowing which job applications are likely to result in a credit check. "Nearly all federal, state, and local government employers will look at your credit status, as well as institutions/organizations (including nonprofits) that are at all regulated," he explains.
To keep an eye on your credit, Goodman recommends signing up for yearly service at guardmycredit.com, an Equifax credit watch system. The site allows you to look at your score in great detail and identify theft or inaccuracies, and alerts you when your score goes up or down.
3. Be upfront
When discussing your credit situation with a prospective employer, candor is always best, explains Dunn. "There's no need to apologize to a prospective employer for your problems. Don't whine or get defensive. Try to put yourself in the prospective employer's shoes. Would you hire you?" he says. Goodman also recommends an up-front approach. "You have to show how you handled the situation as responsibly as possible," he says. Most importantly, Goodman suggests, you have to make a case for your employment. "Show enterprise and make yourself unique and valuable," he says. "Really understand the company you are applying [to] and what you bring to the table that will make them better. Make it easy for them to say 'yes' and hard to say 'no.'"
4. Clean up your credit - quickly
Job hunters should scrutinize their reports very carefully and take care of any issues that may be negatively affecting their credit, according to Goodman. "Under the FCRA, consumers have the right to challenge derogatory credit--inaccurate or accurate--on their report," he explains. "The original creditor has 30 days to respond, and if they don't respond within 30 days, it goes off the report."
Although a poor credit rating may seem beyond repair to frustrated job seekers, Dunn suggests the following steps to improve your score quickly.
1. Get current on your bill and credit card payments.
2. If you are behind, call your creditor(s) and work out a payment plan.
3. Do not ignore your bills-especially those in collection.
4. Here's an incentive: just two months of making your payments on time can improve your score by 20-30 points.
*Name has been changed to protect identity.
Based in Seattle, Thea Nyberg is a freelance writer and editor.
Check out Jobless rate drops -- a little
Click here: Jobless rate drops -- a little | The Columbus Dispatch
Jobless rate drops -- a little
9.7% is first improvement in 7 months, but most of 8.4 million jobs lost won't be back soon
Saturday, February 6, 2010 2:59 AM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON -- The job market is lurching toward improvement. It just has a long way to go.
The outlook for jobs became a bit less bleak yesterday when the government released January's unemployment rate, showing an unexpected decline from 10 percent to 9.7 percent. It was the first drop in seven months.
Still, the government now estimates 8.4 million jobs vanished in the recession. And economists say the nation will be lucky to get 1.5 million of them back this year. They also warn it will take until the middle of the decade for the job market to return to normal.
The economy is growing, and normally job creation would be strengthening. But the job market is weighed down by employers who remain slow to hire because consumers are not spending enough. Companies worry about their prospects once government stimulus aid fades. They also fret about possibly higher costs related to taxes or health-care measures from Congress and statehouses.
The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since August because a Labor Department survey of households found a sharp rise in the number of Americans with jobs. The survey found that 541,000 more Americans had jobs last month.
But those gains resulted from seasonal adjustments to the data. Without those adjustments, the data show fewer people had jobs last month.
Such adjustments are made each month and are especially large in January because of heavy seasonal changes in hiring, including holiday-season jobs, said Tom Nardone, an assistant commissioner in the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
President Barack Obama said the unexpected drop in the unemployment rate was "cause for hope but not celebration." Speaking at a small business in a Washington suburb, Obama said the figures show modest progress, but he cautioned that the data will continue to fluctuate for months.
By the White House's own forecast, the unemployment rate will average 10 percent this year, up from 9.3 percent last year, a 26-year high. By the 2012 presidential election, the jobless rate will still be elevated, averaging 8.2 percent. Normal is around 5.5 percent or 6 percent.
Left behind are people like Aimee Brittain, 31, who said she cannot get employers to return her calls. She's hunting for work as a secretary after being laid off from a commercial real-estate firm in the Atlanta area.
"I'm fighting against people with master's degrees for receptionist jobs," Brittain said. "I can't compete."
Seasonal adjustments tend to have a big effect on the January data. Retailers typically lay off temporary holiday-season employees. Construction firms temporarily cut jobs because of cold weather. The data are adjusted so the figures will show underlying trends.
The department uses separate surveys of households and businesses to gauge employment. The two differed this month. Households showed a jump in employment, but businesses reported 20,000 fewer jobs.
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