We’re way better at this recession thing than most States. Way to go Rhode Island. Massachusetts has nothing on us.
From Projo.com today:
Rhode Island last month lost 3,100 payroll jobs, plunging the state’s employment level to its lowest in nearly five years, a government report released today shows.
The state unemployment rate climbed two-tenths of a percentage point to 6.1 percent, a full percentage point higher than the national average rate of 5.1 percent, according to the state Department of Labor and Training.
Meanwhile, neighboring Massachusetts reported a 2,900-job gain, and its unemployment rate edged down to 4.4 percent.
Rhode Island’s mounting job losses — an estimated 6,000 during the first three months of this year — offers more evidence that the state is at the leading edge of a national recession. Nationally, rising food and gas prices, a slowdown in consumer spending and persistent housing and credit-market problems continue to weaken the job market.
Nationally, payroll jobs last month declined by 80,000, the third consecutive month of losses, with decreases in construction, manufacturing and employment services, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In Rhode Island, high concentrations of subprime lending during the housing boom continue to drive up home foreclosures and hobble real-estate markets and house building
(pulls at neckline and looks around office to see if coworkers noticed she’s not pulling her weight…).
Yay? Go team?
great news! i no longer have to feel shitty about being basically unemployed!