Most economists agree that the U.S. left its recession sometime last summer. Yet with each passing month, the employment news remains grim. Looks like we’re in a jobless recovery.<\/p>\n
The December job numbers released Friday were of little comfort. True, November’s payroll loss was revised upward to show a minuscule gain of 4,000 jobs. But December’s loss of 85,000 was about twice what Wall Street expected, and the unemployment rate remained at 10%.<\/p>\n
For key groups, the news is far worse. Teens, for instance, suffer a 27% unemployment rate. If you’re a construction worker, it’s little better \u201d\u201d one in four workers in that industry are without work.<\/p>\n
Overall, those “underemployed” \u201d\u201d lacking either a job or not working full time when they would like to \u201d\u201d now stands above 17%. Also last month, emergency filings for jobless benefits surged 43% nationwide \u201d\u201d a scary statistic if ever there was one.<\/p>\n