Jobless Claims Down For Second Week Running

May 17, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - For the second week in a row the number of people lining up to claim unemployment insurance dropped, and to its lowest level since March 24.

Initial unemployment insurance claims dropped by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 380,000 for the week ending May 12 from a revised 388,00 the previous week.

The more closely watched four week moving average, thought to be a better economic indicator because it smoothes out weekly fluctuations, also declined for the second straight week to 401,250 its lowest level since April 21, when claims were at 395,250.

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The largest increases in claims were in California, 6,939, due to trimmed payrolls in the service and motion picture industries, and in Texas, 1,586, which cut jobs in the food, apparel, trade, services and machinery industries.

The largest decreases were in North Carolina, 12,265, which had fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture and apparel industries, followed by:

  • Iowa, 3,598;
  • New York, 3,232;
  • Michigan, 2,145;
  • South Carolina, 1,575

US Workers Feeling Overworked, Overwhelmed

May 16, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A large amount of US workers feel overworked and overwhelmed by their workload, a survey released Wednesday shows.

In the study of 1,000 US workers conducted by the New York-based nonprofit Families and Work Institute:

  • 46% of respondents reported feeling overworked
  • 28% said they felt overwhelmed by their workload, and
  • 29% said they felt they had no time to step back and reflect on their work.

Women respondents tended to say they felt more overworked than men, while baby boomers felt more overworked than those of Generation-X or those closer to retirement.

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Working Hours

According to the survey,

  • almost a quarter of US workers said they spent 50 or more hours on the job each week.
  • while 22% said they worked six to seven days a week, and
  • and a quarter said they don’t use vacation time to which they’re entitled.

The feeling of being overworked is not solely because of the number of hours spent working. It’s also stems from

  • being pressured or pushed
  • feeling disrespected, and
  • the feeling that one’s work is of little real value.

Consequences

The survey found that those who said they felt overworked were more likely to:

  • neglect themselves
  • feel unsuccessful in their personal and family relationships.
    seek employment elsewhere,
  • feel angry with their employers
  • make mistakes.

Of those who felt overworked, 17% said that they often made mistakes at work in comparison to the 1% of those who said they did not feel overworked.


 

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