jobless rate underreported by us dept of labor

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Charles Jarrell <bellmac () bellatlantic net>
Date: May 28, 2004 4:45:27 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: jobless rate underreported by us dept of labor

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2004/May/28/LNspot.htm


is this happening throughout the country? Perhaps this is another thing 
the Bush Administration is lieing to the public about.

Officials dispute jobless figures

Survey shows problem is three times worse than Dept. of Labor reports

By DAVID E. MALLOY - The Herald-Dispatch


IRONTON -- A local survey of Lawrence County’s unemployment rate shows 
unemployment is three times worse than is being reported by the U.S. 
Department of Labor.

During the past several months, the official unemployment numbers for 
Lawrence County were 6 percent or less. In April, the number was 5.7 
percent. Those numbers caused officials to do their own survey last 
month, which estimated the real number was at 17.9 percent. The survey 
has an error rate of plus or minus 4 percent.

The lower rate caused the Appalachian Regional Commission to remove the 
county from the distressed county list. The redesignation means the 
county won’t be eligible to apply for certain ARC grant funds starting 
Oct. 1 and the commission funds the county can apply for carry a higher 
required matching percentage, 50 percent instead of 20 percent, said 
Buddy Martin, director of the county’s Department of Job and Family 
Services.

"We didn’t dream it would come out this high," Martin said during a 
Lawrence County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday at the county 
courthouse. If he had to guess, he would have thought the rate would be 
between 8 and 10 percent, higher than the official numbers, but still 
below the totals from the local survey.

"It’s a frightening number," said Bill Jett, an official with the 
Workforce Development Resource Center in Ironton. He was referring to 
those who reported working fewer than 20 hours a week or earning less 
than $7.33 per hour.

"Some of them have just quit looking (for work)," Jett said. "They just 
can’t find work to fit their skills."

The study found that 10.4 percent of those questioned in a random 
survey aren’t even looking for work, he said.

<snip>

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