| April 20, 2010
Local Unemployment Insurance Claims Decline
In another sign of a gradually improving local labor market, the number of initial claims (IC) for unemployment insurance in the 13-county Gulf Coast Workforce Development Area in March 10 was 21 percent less than in March 09, Workforce Solutions reports.
Continued claims in March 10 were 11 percent lower than in March 09. The three-month average has declined steadily and is now 22 percent below the recent peak, which was reached in August 09. The significance of the decline in continued claims remains unclear, however, because expiring benefits could contribute to the downward movement.
The number of people unemployed 15 weeks or longer in March 10 was down 8 percent from February 10 but still 48 percent greater than in March 09.
There are still local announcements of layoffs in city and county government jobs, and in local school districts, so some increase in IC and the number of insured unemployed could occur in the latter half of 2010, cautions Joel C. Wagher, Labor Market Analyst for Workforce Solutions - Gulf Coast Workforce Board.
Patrick Jankowski
Vice President, Research
Greater Houston Partnership
1200 Smith, Suite 700
Houston, Texas 77002
713-844-3616
pjankowski@houston.org read more news |
