The Conference Board Employment Trends Index decreased in August for the second time in the past four months. The index now stands at 96.7, down from July's revised figure of 97.4.

However, the index is up 9.4 percent from a year ago.

The Washington Economic & Revenue Forecast Council's outlook is significantly weaker than it was during June. The economic recovery has "slowed to an agonizing crawl," according to the council's latest report.

The report says job growth remains anemic; housing is looking for a new bottom; and, despite some easing in credit conditions, small businesses continue to face a challenging credit environment. There is still considerable drag in the economy, little lift and increased uncertainty.

Most American workers are satisfied with their jobs, but nearly two in three have strong doubts about being able to eventually stop working and retire, according to a StrategyOne survey.

The vast majority of employed Americans who were surveyed describe themselves as satisfied with their jobs (82 percent) and report they get satisfaction from their work (80 percent). About three out of four (72 percent) also said they enjoy where they work and look forward to coming to work every day.

The unemployment rate for the construction industry edged down to 17 percent in August compared to 17.3 percent a month earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

In contrast, the nonresidential building construction sector lost 200 jobs last month and has lost 31,900 jobs, or 7.4 percent, over the past year. Nonresidential building construction employment now stands at 682,400 jobs.

The nation's 89,526 state and local governments employed 16.6 million full-time equivalent employees in 2009, statistically unchanged from 2008, according to government employment data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

However, the number state and local government FTEs in Washington increased nearly 4 percent, rising from 349,729 during 2008 to 362,997 last year.

Looking toward the final months of the year, 11 percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report said they expect to increase the number of full-time staff they employ in professional occupations during the fourth quarter.

Five percent anticipate declines, resulting in a net 6 percent increase in hiring activity, up three points from the third-quarter forecast.

While the pace of job creation continues to disappoint, job security appears to be stronger than ever. The latest report on downsizing activity reveals that planned job cuts announced by employers in August fell to 34,768, the lowest monthly total in more than a decade.

August job cuts were down 17 percent from the 41,676 cuts announced in July, according to a report released today by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. This marks the first decline following three consecutive months of increases.

Online advertised vacancies dropped 57,100 in August to 4,236,200 following an increase of 139,200 in July, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Series released today.

The gap between the number of unemployed and advertised vacancies (supply/demand rate) stood at 3.4 unemployed for every advertised vacancy in July (the last available unemployment data) but is down from its peak of 4.73 in October 2009.

Private sector employment decreased by 10,000 from July to August on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report.

The estimated change of employment from June to July was revised down slightly, from the previously reported increase of 42,000 to an increase of 37,000.

Small business employment grew slightly in August, but at a declining rate compared to healthy gains made in January through April. However, hours worked and compensation per employee remained steady.

The latest Intuit Inc. Small Business Employment Index found that small business employment grew by 0.1 percent in August, equating to a 1.2 percent annual growth rate. The Index is based on figures from the country's smallest businesses that use Intuit Online Payroll.

Workforce Central is asking Pierce County employers to share their insights about pre-employment background checks through a confidential online survey.
 
Completing the eight questions takes about a minute and the input will help the agency to serve employers in Pierce County that use or intend to use pre-employment background checks.
 
Click here to participate and take the survey.

As Labor Day approaches, many Americans want signs of a job-market recovery. While many are frustrated with the pace of job creation, a new analysis reveals that the job market is well on the road to recovery and that it is rebounding sooner and faster compared to the jobless recoveries that followed the previous two recessions.

In its annual Labor Day outlook, global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. says that positive trends in a number of employment indicators, including the pace of layoffs, the unemployment rate and job creation, are shrouded by the fact that the economy began its recovery in a much deeper hole; the deepest since the Great Depression.

Work-related deaths declined in Washington last year to numbers not seen since 2000, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The BLS, which produces an annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, reported 75 deaths in Washington, down from 83 reported in 2008. During the past decade, an average of 86 people per year have died in Washington from work-related injuries.

With the approach of the school year, a new website is providing access to more than 5,000 education and training programs, and offering users information about the career they're seeking and where to get the training to prepare for it.
 
Increasingly, adults are heading back to school to improve their career prospects and earning power, and are turning to CareerBridge.Wa.Gov, the state's first education "consumer reports" website, for answers.

Washington's private sector picked up 3,100 jobs in July and the unemployment rate fell for the fourth consecutive month, to 8.9 percent. The June unemployment rate was revised upward from 8.9 percent to 9 percent after more analysis.

Overall, payrolls were down 2,300 in July due to the elimination of an estimated 5,400 government jobs, the majority of which were federal census jobs. So far in 2010, Washington has added 21,100 private-sector jobs. Including government jobs, there has been a total net gain of 19,800 jobs during the past seven months.

Real average hourly earnings for all employees fell 0.2 percent from June to July, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

This decrease stems from a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with a 0.3 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has ordered $51 million in spending reductions for the current fiscal year for WorkFirst services delivered across five state agencies. The spending adjustment is needed to ensure a balanced budget.

WorkFirst is Washington state's welfare-to-work program. Washington initiated the WorkFirst program in August 1997 to help low-income families become self-sufficient by providing training and support services necessary for parents to get a job, keep a job and move up a career ladder.

A state government report indicates a vibrant competitive market for workers' compensation insurance would be created if voters approve Initiative 1082.

The Office of Financial Management released its Fiscal Impact Statement yesterday analyzing Initiative 1082 as part of the state Voters' Guide process.

TrueBlue Inc. has been ranked at the top of the list of companies with the "most transparent and conservative accounting practices and most prudent management," according to the "Most Trustworthy Companies" list compiled for Forbes by Audit Integrity.

Audit Integrity's Accounting & Governance Risk rating ranks companies' accounting and management practices from 0 (very aggressive) to 100 (conservative). Companies with a lower rating have been more likely to suffer equity loss, issue financial restatements and face class action suits, Forbes.com says. Conversely, companies with higher ratings tend to be more trustworthy.

On the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, most Americans with disabilities are still struggling with many of the same lifestyle and economic issues they confronted in 1990 when the ADA became federal law.

The 2010 Kessler/National Organization on Disability Survey of Americans with Disabilities, conducted by Harris Interactive, reveals little or no substantial gains in 10 key indicators ranging from employment and income to social engagement and life satisfaction.