DATA AND METADATA REPORTING AND
PRESENTATION HANDBOOK
The need for the articulation of a comprehensive set of recommendations on the reporting and
presentation of statistical data and metadata is one aspect of the overall demand for improved
international comparability and consistency of statistics compiled and published by national agencies
and international organisations. This requirement has itself been driven by closer economic and social
linkages between both the 30 OECD Member countries and between those countries and large
emerging non-member economies. As discussed in the Handbook, the major causes of differences in
statistics compiled in different countries flow from the use of different definitions and concepts and
differences arising from varying collection and statistical data transformation practices. Even where
differences in these areas are minimal the statistics disseminated by different countries may actually
look different because of the use of different data reporting and presentation practices. These
differences can have considerable impact in an environment where users have ready access to a
bewildering amount of statistical information facilitated through the availability of on-line databases
and statistics on the Internet at both the national and international levels.
Enrico Giovannini
Chief Statistician and
Director of the Statistics Directorate
OECD
Paris
This Handbook draws heavily on the work of many national statistical institutes, central banks,
etc., working in the OECD’s Short-term Economic Statistics Working Party (STESWP) over the last
two years and from detailed comments and suggestions from other international organisations, in
particular, the European Commission’s Eurostat, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank
and other participants of the Co-ordinating Committee for Statistical Activities (CCSA). The work was
coordinated and prepared by Denis Ward, Statistics Directorate, OECD.
DATA AND METADATA REPORTING AND PRESENTATION HANDBOOK – ISBN 92-64-03032-8 – © OECD 2007
June 2002
Classification of Financial Derivatives Involving Affiliated Enterprises in the
Balance of Payments Statistics and the International Investment Position
(IIP) Statement
In December, the number of unemployed persons increased by 632,000
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
ABC – WSB Atlanta – tonight at 11 p.m. it was reported that the state of Georgia
had new unemployment claims from December 2008 – of over 128,000 people.
Now – tell me how it is that in a country with 50 states in grave economic difficulty,
that the new unemployment claims total for the entire USA could even be close to 632,000 for December 2008
274.8 295.4 307.2 315.2 338.6 (P) 365.2 (in thousands)
Georgia from US Department of Labor – unemployment statistics page by state – thru Nov 08
http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.ga.htm
Georgia Unemployment Rate: 7.5%
UI Initial Claims: 128,625
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/
131,494 – Nov 2008 (not seasonally adjusted)
Alabama – 34,044 initial claims – Nov 2008
http://www2.dir.state.al.us/LAUS/CLF/ALUS.aspx
The State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 6.1 percent in November, increased from October’s rate of 5.5 percent and was above the year-ago rate of 3.7 percent.
127,952 Nov 2008
http://www2.dir.state.al.us/ces/labor.aspx
513.1 578.6 613.2 619.4 658.7 (P) 679.9
Thru Nov 2008 – unemployment numbers Florida – from US DOL chart
http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.fl.htm
Florida’s November Unemployment Figures Released
Tallahassee – Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2008 is 7.3 percent. This represents 680,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,311,000.
A loss of 206,900 jobs
(-2.6%) since Nov. 2007
Next Press Release 1/23/09 @ 10:00am
http://www.floridajobs.org/
State of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation
The nationwide economic slowdown has shown up in the state’s jobless rate, which was at a 25-year-high of 8.4 percent in November. State economic forecasters have predicted unemployment could reach an unprecedented 14 percent this year.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/01/14/ap5919996.html
South Carolina Unemployment Fund Near Insolvency
December 31, 2008 10:09 AM ET | Liz Wolgemuth | Permanent Link | Print
South Carolina’s unemployment benefits fund is expected to be empty by the end of today if Gov. Mark Sanford does not request a federal loan that would keep benefit payments running through March. The governor is expected to announce his decision at a press conference this afternoon.
Sanford has resisted requesting the $146 million loan until the unemployment agency agrees to meet his requests for a state audit and increased data reporting on the state’s unemployed.
The state’s 77,000 unemployed are no doubt keeping a white-knuckled grip on their TV remotes, awaiting the governor’s decision. South Carolina Republican state legislators are reportedly rather unhappy with Sanford. One lawmaker called it a “heartless and cruel act.”
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – After a close call, some state unemployment checks went out Friday.
Days of wrangling between Governor Mark Sanford and the Employment Security Commission meant the state could have run out of money for those checks.
Unemployment checks go out after close call
Posted: Jan 2, 2009 05:40 PM
Updated: Jan 7, 2009 07:54 AM
http://www.wistv.com/global/story.asp?S=9609445
There’s about 70,000 other people in Elaina’s situation in South Carolina, and about 30,000 people unemployed right here in the Midlands.
But Wednesday there was a chance Elaina wouldn’t have that assistance. Governor Mark Sanford did ask for a loan to keep money in South Carolina’s unemployment insurance fund, but only after putting pressure on the Employment Security Commission and its commissioners.
“What if he was put in that situation and he needed assistance and that wasn’t available for him?” asks Horry.
Governor Sanford says he’s doing this to protect taxpayers, because commissioners are unnecessarily paid more than $100,000 a year. The director of the ESC tell us he isn’t sure why this happening.
All Elaina knows is she’s glad she’s getting a check, and she’s hoping she finds full-time work soon.
You might remember Governor Sanford agreed to apply for federal aid on two big conditions. The governor wants the Employment Security Commission to undergo a legislative audit, and he also wants the esc to turn over unemployment data to the commerce department.
“One way or the other, either by force or by not, we’re going to get the information we ask,” Sanford said Wednesday.
The loan will keep unemployment checks coming until the end of March. If the Employment Security Commission has not done what the governor has asked by that time, Sanford says he has the legal authority to remove the commissioners.
Count on WIS News 10 to let you know what happens.
http://www.wistv.com/global/story.asp?S=9609445
By Johnny Green
Friday, December 19, 2008 at 5:26 p.m.
An additional 11,500 people in South Carolina joined the ranks of the unemployed last month, driving the state’s jobless rate to 8.4%.
State unemployment officials say November’s rate was up from a revised 7.9% rate in October compared with a national rate of 6.7%.
Nearly 183,000 people are unemployed in South Carolina.
The state’s top economic advisers have predicted that unemployment could reach an unprecedented 14% next year.
Unemployment numbers held steady or went up in every county in our area except one.
Marion County has the second highest unemployment in the state at more than 17% – up from just under 16% in October.
Fewer people claimed unemployment in Marlboro County in November at just over 14%, but the county still has one of the higher unemployment rates in the state.
http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=237918
Hearing Health
Photo
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 10:02 p.m.
From Mark Sanford:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officers and my fellow South Carolinians:
It’s an honor to be with you tonight to deliver my view on the state of our state, but as I’ve done in the past, I’d first ask that we pay tribute to the South Carolinians who died fighting in the Middle East and Afghanistan over the last year. Their deaths are a reminder to everyone of us of how short and fragile life can be – and beg of us the larger question of what are we doing to both honor their sacrifice, and to live the gift of life each of us has been granted.
Their service is also a reminder to all of us, particularly in these trying economic times, of how important it is that we look for ways to serve others – whether in the local church, the area soup kitchen, the food bank, or through national organizations like the Red Cross or Salvation Army. Many families across our state and nation are indeed hurting in these economic times, so there is a lot of need out there – and every one of us can follow these soldiers’ examples in looking for ways to serve.
Finally, the fact that each of them died in service to their country is again a reminder that freedom isn’t free. This year’s list of heroes is as follows: SGT Shawn Hill, SGT David Leimbach, MSG Danny Maybin, SSG Matthew Taylor, SSG Ronald Phillips, Jr., Captain Richard Cliff, Jr.
While I’m at it I want to thank a few other people as well: First, I’d like to recognize a state worker who is representative of so many who do their work without recognition. I’m a frequent critic of South Carolina government’s growth and structure, but Al James – a park ranger for Parks, Recreation and Tourism – is an example of many who go beyond the call of duty in their work. In his case, this past summer he rescued kayakers on the Catawba River and he put himself in harm’s way to do so. Al, please stand up and be recognized. We’ve also been joined tonight by Carter and McCaleb White. They’re both reminders of the ways in which every one of us can make a difference in South Carolina if we so choose. We don’t have to wait for a government program – we can just do it – as they did. Tragically both of their grandfathers were diagnosed with cancer and as these boys visited the hospital and watched the monotony that came with hours of chemotherapy – they decided to do something about it. They put together a gift drive and collected everything from DVD players to stress balls and puzzles to help those afflicted with cancer in the waits for, during and after treatment. Hundreds of patients have now been helped, and so please give these young hometown heroes a round of applause for both their initiative and the difference they’re making in others’ lives.
Given the economic times that we live in, I’d also like to single out one of the First Lady’s many efforts. When we got here the Lace House sat empty and the Waring House was kept open and used by the Governor for only a few weeks out of the year. Jenny and her team ended this practice of allowing these properties to sit and raised private money to renovate the Lace House and then began a rental program. These efforts were duplicated at the Waring House and now both properties are rented and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been generated to go to their maintenance rather than have all these costs borne by the taxpayer.
I tell that story because I think it’s an illustration of how every one of us tied to government can follow the lead of working South Carolinians in being creative in finding ways to do more with less. Whether in Dillon or Grey Court or Yemassee, doing more with less is what families across our state are indeed doing everyday – and those of us who work in government should find ways to honor these daily decisions being made by the people who pay for government.
With all that being said – the state of our state is that we have both enormous challenges and opportunities before us. They will necessitate us doing what was suggested in a recent email that came my way that said simply, “We have to be doing things we should have been doing a long time ago.” My question to every one of you is indeed can we make this the year that we make the changes that we should have begun long ago. We can’t do anything about the “long ago,” but we can do something about bringing change this year.
In Washington it was that spirit that in part gave us a new administration. We all saw a campaign based on the concepts of change and the resounding theme of “yes, we can.”
As an American I would wish the new administration success in deliberately working through many of the challenges facing this country, but as a South Carolinian I would simply ask that we take up the same mantle of “yes, yes we can” in overcoming so many of our state’s challenges. Can we commit to the notion of “yes, we can” on just a couple of things this year key to bettering the lives of so many here in South Carolina? Because after all it was this thinking of “yes, we can” that led to the shattering of a glass ceiling that has hung over our nation for the last 200 years. Given this example alone, can we break the glass ceiling of an outdated governmental structure that has hurt the people of our state for more than 100 years?
I think that with the right approach there can be opportunity in the economic crisis before our state and country. We face economic conditions in our country, and by extension our state, the likes of which we have not seen since the 1930’s. As most of you know, I have believed for a very long time that this day would come, and as a consequence I have fought with many in your leadership on spending.
I didn’t have a crystal ball on economic trends; I simply heard from a lot of South Carolinians on common sense principles that they believed ought to apply to government. Trees don’t grow to the sky, winter follows summer and accordingly cattlemen from Pickens to Saluda put hay in the barn to be ready for winter’s arrival. Even the Bible talks about the Pharaoh’s dream and seven fat cows coming out of the Nile followed by seven skinny cows – so the notion of ups and downs, and of business and economic cycles, represent thinking that has been around for a very long time. Unfortunately as a nation, and as a state government, this idea has been forgotten by too many for too long.
Debt has grown three times faster than the national economy over the last fifteen years. Its dangers are something I described in detail at this very State of the State four years ago, yet this proliferation of debt has occurred in government, in business and within households across the country. The unsustainable march we were on has now come to an end, and so the bottom line is that as a nation, and again by extension as a state, we will face a tremendous deleveraging. There is no way to avoid this reality.
Other than possibly doing very harmful things to every dollar held by South Carolinians across this state, and most certainly leaving a frightening invisible federal mortgage to every taxpayer – the bailouts in the end will not change this and will do nothing to better our economy over the long run. I think as policymakers it’s exceedingly important that we really comprehend that, because what’s happening in the national economy is obviously going to very much impact us here in South Carolina.
In a typical recession caused by an excess in production or inventory, the tact that federal policymakers are taking with stimulus can work because the objective is to simply get the consumer buying again. We face something very different today after a 20 year run-up in spending and debt. This is a balance sheet-driven slowdown, and in these cases when people or businesses get stimulus monies they don’t rush out to spend it – they work quite logically to get their balance sheets right. That’s why the stimulus checks of last spring from the federal government were not spent and instead devoted to paying down debt.
It’s also why a lot of the financial institutions have not turned around and lent money as it was received but have instead worked to better the balance sheets that they know have many more non-performing loans still to come. Where does all this leave us? With the simple truth that anybody who says that this economic slowdown will be short-lived I don’t believe is telling the truth. I also believe that anyone who suggests that it won’t get a whole lot worse before it gets better has missed how high the forest of debt and spending has indeed grown over these 20 years. The differences between my views and the views of many in this room on matters involving budgets and spending have been widely documented and are well known. They need not be reviewed here tonight, and there is no satisfaction in vindication on budget matters when the people of our state are suffering under the difficult economic times we long believed would come. Though people will be hurt, there’s nothing we can now do about what didn’t happen in the way of fiscal restraint in Columbia, and so we must look forward. Our differences are in the past, and from my perspective, bygones are bygones – and all that matters is what we do from this day forward.
We’ve talked for six years about bringing change to Columbia in the way that decisions are made and in the outcomes that impact the lives of so many in our state – and therefore can change begin today? It is my hope that these jolting economic times force us to move South Carolina state government into the twenty-first century – and if they indeed force the change long overdue – they will prove to be a blessing many years down the road.
In some ways change has already begun because in last year’s campaign, the winds of change swept across our country. Those winds will soon be felt in Washington, but South Carolina was not bypassed, because in this Capitol tonight, I am pleased by all the new faces I see. Eighteen percent of the House and 20 percent of the members of the Senate are new this year – nearly 1/5 in each body. My message to all the newly-elected members of the General Assembly, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, is simply this: stay true to what you said when you were talking directly to the folks back home.
Your obligation is not to me, or to your leadership, or to your political party – it is to the people who sent you here and to the ideas and principles that propelled your candidacy. You were sent here to make a difference and to fight for what you ran on as you stood before the people of your district – and in this light I look forward to working with all of you on achieving your goals. It was in this spirit that this administration and the General Assembly have been able to come together over the years as we cut the top marginal income tax rate for the first time in state history and passed the state’s largest ever recurring tax cut. We came together as we passed comprehensive tort reform and workers’ compensation reform, and those changes are in part evident in the more than $4 billion in capital investment brought to our state last year, and the 132,000 more people working than in 2003 – which ranks 16th in the nation in employment growth in this time frame.
We’ve also taken steps toward improving government structure with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Transportation. I want to particularly thank each member for your work last year in passing DUI reform, immigration reform, and the small business health care bill. We had other successes that ranged from the Jasper Port bill, that will ultimately bring to fruition hopes and dreams for better economic opportunity to finally ending the so-called Competitive Grants program. As a result of DUI reform the quality of life for people in our state will be made better. There is more that can be done on this and many other fronts, but it’s a reminder to all of us that where there is a will there is always a way, and I’m here to humbly ask for your will and work on just five areas this year.
First, given the economic times in which we live, and given the global competition that we’re in for jobs, capital and way of life, we need to do things each year to make our business climate more competitive. At the top of the list on this front is the tax reform proposal that we rolled out last month. It was premised on not waiting on Washington, D.C., for an economic stimulus package or a bailout, and instead focusing on the things that we can do here in South Carolina to grow our economy – and the opportunities that will come with it.
People are hurting in our state, and they rightly expect action to be taken. But what should we do? We can sit around and wait for the next bailout from Washington that piles ever more debt on our children and forces South Carolina taxpayers to pay for wasteful state government spending in California and New York. That, as you know, is not what I think we should be doing to better our economy. Instead, we’ve proposed doing what anyone should do during financially hard times, namely, be very careful on the spending side, and try to improve our state’s economic climate on the tax side. Lasting jobs and economic growth will never come from a government bailout. They will come from a tax and regulatory structure that rewards hard work, savings and enterprise – and in this vein we ought to be as competitive as possible in the global arena in attracting capital for the way that investment ultimately raises productivity and, in turn, people’s wages and standard of living.
This tax proposal is also premised on the belief that government shouldn’t be picking the winners and losers in the business marketplace and, therefore, government should treat businesses the same. Too often government will hand incentives to the new business in town, but offer no help to the business producing the exact same product while that business has been paying taxes for years here in the state. Too often if you’re a big business you get the red carpet rolled out in incentives, but if you’re a little business you get nothing. This was the case in the special legislation that offered $9 million for Cabela’s to come to South Carolina. I’m a hunter and would love for them to expand in our state, I just don’t believe that little businesses who have been here for years selling the same kinds of things should be forced to subsidize them coming here. As much as that legislation would add one store, it would wipe out many more small ones that have been here for years. It turns out there are a fair number of special exemptions that have long outlived their usefulness, and our proposal takes what we spend on those incentives and redeploys these monies to phasing out the corporate income tax.
The second leg of what we have proposed to stimulate the economy is a flat tax of 3.65 percent in one’s individual income tax return. Every South Carolinian would have the chance each year to pick between paying our current seven percent income tax rate, or forgoing their exemptions and paying a flat 3.65 percent. A report by the Atlanta Federal Reserve Board said that “relative marginal tax rates have a statistically significant negative relationship with relative state growth.” In everyday English that means high income tax rates slow the growth of people’s paychecks and low rates raise them. To pay for this part of the tax cut, we would raise our lowest in the nation cigarette tax from seven cents to 37 cents. We would concurrently raise our state’s tipping fee on garbage because last year 30 percent of all the garbage buried in South Carolina came from other states. There is something wrong with mega dumps being proposed in Cherokee, Williamsburg, Marlboro and other rural counties across our state to handle garbage from places like New York and New Jersey. Not all taxes are the same, and in taxes and fees associated with cigarettes and garbage, we are lowest and low, when measured against other states. There is a real cost in health care and the look and feel of our state that goes with not changing anything.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 10:02 p.m.
2009 State of the State Address from South Carolina
From Mark Sanford:
http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=246805
Released December 19, 2008
Unemployment in SC Climbs to 8.4% in November
South Carolina’s unemployment rate continued to soar in November reaching 8.4%, the state Employment Security Commission reported today. This is half a point above the revised rate of 7.9% in October and the highest rate since September 1983. The number of unemployed rose 11,500 to 182,900, while the state’s labor force was little changed at 2,171,400. Roosevelt T. Halley, Executive Director of the Commission, said “This rise in joblessness was expected as layoffs and business closures continue to mount in the wake of the national economic crisis.” The national unemployment rate rose from 6.5% in October to 6.7% in November.
The nonfarm job count in the state plummeted 11,900 over the month to 1,929,600. This brought the job total to nearly 43,000 below the year-ago total. Leisure and Hospitality cut 7,800 positions in November, with the bulk of the cuts in Accommodation and Food Services (-5,800). Cutbacks in temporary help agencies forced Professional and Business Services downward by 4,200. Construction continued its downward spiral, reducing payrolls by 2,500. Manufacturers laid off 1,200 workers during November. On the plus side, Government added 2,700 jobs as state and local schools continued to add support staff for the fall term. Retailers added only 1,300 workers in preparation for the holiday season. This is far below the number typically hired during this time of year.
South Carolina has been one of the hardest-hit states in terms of unemployment during the recessionary period of the past year. The Employment Security Commission is currently paying Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to more than 60,000 people each week. The amount of benefits being paid each week is exceeding $12 million. Total UI benefits paid out for 2008 will be close to $500 million. With continuing layoffs among the state’s manufacturers, retailers and service-providing industries, unemployment will remain high into the foreseeable future, with rates likely reaching double digits over the next few months.
http://www.sces.org/lmi/news/news.asp
http://www.sces.org/ui/Index.htm
South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Unemployment Insurance – Labor Dept.
http://www.sc.gov/Portal/Category/EMPLOYMENT
Official website of the State of South Carolina
http://www.sconestop.org/analyzer/default.asp
South Carolina Workforce .com
Labor Market Information at your fingertips
http://www.sccommerce.com/resources/documentdirectory.aspx
South Carolina Commerce Dept.
http://www.ncesc.com/splash.asp
The Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
opens a new browser window Insured Unemployment Statistics
Insured Unemployment Statistics provides data on North Carolina’s insured employment and insured unemployment statistics by county. The rate of insured unemployment is the ratio of weekly average weeks claimed for UI benefits to employment covered under North Carolina’s UI system. The data on insured employment is a compilation of information obtained from the employer’s contribution reports. Insured employment and unemployment are provided Statewide and by county. Additionally, this monthly publication reports the insured rates for the current month, the prior month and one year ago.
Note: The methodologies and purposes of the insured unemployment rate and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) total unemployment rate are different and the two statistics should not be confused.
http://www.ncesc.com/lmi/workForceStats/workForceMain.asp
November 2008 – North Carolina
4562023 Labor Force (not seasonally adjusted)
4205229 Employed
356794 Unemployed
7.8 Rate
http://eslmi40.esc.state.nc.us/ThematicLAUS/clfasp/CLFAASY.asp
The Mass Layoff Statistics
program is a federal-state
program that uses a standardized
automated approach
to identify, describe,
and track the effects of major
job cutbacks using data
from each state’s unemployment
insurance database.
Each month, states submit
information about layoffs
that have at least 50 initial
claims filed during a consecutive
five-week period.
The employers have been
contacted by the state
agency to determine whether
these separations lasted 31
days or longer. States report
on a quarterly basis about
layoffs lasting more than
one month.
In November 2008, employers
had 2,574 mass layoff
actions, not seasonally adjusted,
as measured by new
filings for unemployment
insurance benefits during
the month, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics
of the U.S. Department of
Labor. Each action involved
at least 50 persons
from a single employer; the
number of workers involved
(initial claims) totaled
241,589.
Click to access Nov2008LMR.pdf
From the start of the recession
in December 2007
through November 2008, the
total number of mass layoff
events in the United States
was 19,927 and the number
of initial claims was
2,003,129. All of the above
information is not seasonally
adjusted.
November (p) 3,037.7 2,830.8 2,794.7 364.2 470.9 1,054.7 206.9 6.8
Total 3,037.7
Employment 2,830.8
Total – nonfarm 2,794.7 (employed)
Unemployed 206.9
Rate – 6.8
November 2008 Tennessee
Click to access Nov2008LMR.pdf
The United States’ unemployment rate was 6.7
percent in November 2008. In November 2007, the
national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent, and
the state’s unemployment rate was 5.0 percent.
Across Tennessee, the unemployment rate increased
in 62 counties, decreased in 20 counties, and
remained the same in 13 counties. There were 15
counties with an unemployment rate greater than 10
percent. The lowest rate occurred in Williamson
County at 4.6 percent, down 0.1 percent from the
previous month. The highest rate was Perry
County’s 18.8 percent, up from 17.7 percent in
October 2008.
Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted estimated
unemployment rate for November 2008 was 6.9
US – November 2008 (seasonally adjusted)
Labor Force – 154,616,000
Employed – 144,285,000
Unemployed – 10,331,00
Rate – 6.7%
Tennessee – November 2008 (seasonally adjusted – not revised)
Labor Force – 3,029,100
Employed – 2,818,900
Unemployed – 210,300
Rate – 6.9%
Click to access Nov2008LMR.pdf
http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/lmr/
http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/lmi.htm
Short-term projections show Tennessee’s employment is likely to slow to a 0.6
percent average annual increase in 2008 and 2009. About 34,580 new jobs are expected
from second quarter 2007 to second quarter 2009. Historical and projected demographic
and economic variables provide trends used to project statistically future employment in
industries and occupations in Tennessee. Projections are used extensively by public
officials, industries, employers, and employees.
Click to access jobforecast.pdf
1 Tennessee’s population grew 1.4 percent per year from July 2005 to July 2007, in being
the 14th state in rate of growth and the 9th state when listed by growth in number of
citizens (http://www.census.gov/popest/states). The United States ranks at 2.1 in total
fertility rate, the expected number of children born per woman, based on 2005 agespecific
data (Wikipedia). Most if not all, other industrialized countries have fertility
rates at 1.9 or less. The U.S. has a population that is increasing about one percent per
year, making the United States the fastest growing industrialized nation (Moss, Voice of
America).
** My NOTE – But in 2008 – the employment labor force numbers show a missing 10,000+ through the unrevised November 2008 numbers, in fact. It is likely that total population decreased and that the 10,000+ wage earners have moved elsewhere or something is wrong with their numbers.
Click to access jobforecast.pdf
2 The Federal Trade Commission (2006) provides information on the effect of
competition on consumers. The document suggests the myriad ways that openness
affects practically every industry. Healthcare and obesity are two instances of the effect
of open markets on populations (Federal Trade Commission, 2006).
4 The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) contain the skills, knowledge, and
work activities for every occupation. Skills forecasting requirements are given by the
Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The specific skills needed in your
state depend on the skills needed for the occupational needs.
5 The Southern and Western United States have the percentage largest population
increase as regions from 2005 to 2007. It has 4 of the 10 fastest-growing states, and 5 of
the 10 largest growth states. See http://www.census.gov/popest/states for tables of
regions and states.
6 Rank is reported at Internet site http://www.state.tn.us/tacir/Portal/default.html. See
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/NRI/1997/summary_report/ on page 77.
7 See “The Source” http://www.sourcetn.org under “housing starts.”
***
Industrial Change in Tennessee in 2008 and 2009
The next two years show strong industry growth in other services (except
government), educational services, and health care and social assistance (Table 4, page
11). Growing industries include arts, entertainment, and recreation, accommodation and
food services, management of companies and enterprises, transportation and
warehousing, and wholesale trade.
Most of the new jobs projected for industries are service-providing rather than
goods-producing. Goods-producing jobs generally have higher pay, and they enliven
trade as goods are exported outside the state. Service-providing jobs can make our lives
enjoyable and tolerable–these jobs accommodate us, feed us, transport us, and provide
care for us (see Table 4, page 11).
8 Employment of network systems and data communications personnel has continued to
increase throughout the slowdown.
Click to access jobforecast.pdf
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Employment Security Division, Research and Statistics Section, 3/4/2008
9 See CES (Current Employment Statistics) data in http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/source
10 See our paper, “Skill and Knowledge Requirements for Job Openings in Tennessee,
2004-2014.
11 Skill and knowledge needs for the 2014 period are averaged from the O*NET
(Occupational Information Network) importance scores using the number of openings.
The O*NET project is a multi-year data collection program, with approval from the
Office of Management and Budget. Scores range from 1.00 (lowest) to 5.00 (highest).
Workers are selected by random sampling in questionnaires asking them to rate the
requirements of their own jobs.
******
High Importance. The average skill scores for various characteristics are shown
in Table 6 (page 17). Active listening and reading comprehension are the highest in
importance. Speaking, time management, critical thinking, active learning, and writing
are of high importance in the occupations growing at above average rates. These skills
are most important in the emerging service industries (Table 4, page 11). Other skills are
needed in such industries as education and healthcare.
o Skill needs are great for active listening, at all growth levels, but especially at
growth rates of 1.5 percent or better.
o Reading comprehension and speaking are a great need in occupations growing at
1.5 percent (the state average) or greater.
o Time management, critical thinking, active learning, coordination, and writing are
needed at all the highest growth levels.
Average Importance. Skills of above average importance include time
management, critical thinking, instructing, active learning, social perceptiveness, learning
strategies, coordination, service orientation, writing, monitoring, judgment and decision
making, and mathematics. The need for these skills is in direct relation to the growth rate
of the occupations, with the exception of mathematics, which is especially needed in jobs
with low growth levels.
******
The Internet site http://www.sourcetn.org, “The Source,” contains detailed information
on employment for Tennessee. To supplement the information referred to above, wage,
training and education, and skills information exists for industries and occupations.
Many of the tables can be downloaded into software spreadsheets.
REFERENCES
Arik, Murat. 2005. “Effects of Aging Population on Labor Dynamics in Tennessee.”
Tennessee’s Business, 14-3:18-24. Business and Economic Research Center (BERC),
Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University.
Arik, Murat and Xiaojuan Wang. 2005. “Employment Dynamics in Tennessee’s
Economy: Structural Change and Its Implications.” Tennessee’s Business, 14-3:25-31.
Business and Economic Research Center (BERC), Jennings A. Jones College of
Business, Middle Tennessee State University.
Federal Trade Commission. April 2006. The FTC in 2006: Committed to Consumers
and Competition. Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman. See http://www.ftc.gov/os/2006/03/
ChairmanReportFinal2006.pdf
Moss, Jill. Voice of America. 2006. “Population Growth is Dropping in Industrialized
Nations and Increasing in Some Developing Ones.” See
http://www.voanews.com//specialenglish/archive/2006-04/2006-04-18-
voa3.cfm?renderforprint=17&pageid=85919.
United States Department of Agriculture. 2000. Summary Report: 1997 National
Resources Inventory (revised December 2000), Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Washington, DC, and Statistical Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 89
pages.
Wikipedia. 2006. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_fertility_rate.
______________________________
Walter W. Robinson, March 26, 2008
Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Statistics
WWR,
d:\cg11384\stip_runs\STIP_200906\Employment_Projections_200706_200906.doc
Click to access jobforecast.pdf
***
***
Mississippi
7 counties have unemployment rates between 11 – 14.9% – November 2008
19 counties rates are between 8.2 – 11.3%
November 2008
Mississippi 6.6
U.S. 6.5
Source: Labor Market Data Publication, November 2008
Design: Labor Market Information Department, MDES
Mississippi saw a decrease in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate from
October to November 2008 as the rate fell slightly from 6.9 to 6.6%. Over the month
decreases were also noted for the number of unemployed (3,900) and employed (3,200)
causing the labor force total to decline by (7,100). The rate was almost one percentage
point higher than the November 2007 rate of 5.7%. When adjusted to remove the impact
of seasonal factors, the rate showed no change from the prior month, holding at 7.2%, but
had increased from the November 2007 rate of 6.3%.
Click to access labormarketdata.pdf
For the month of November 2008, fifty-six counties saw their rates decrease over the
month, six reported no change and twenty reported over the month rate increases. Rankin
County had the lowest unemployment rate at 4.1% followed by Lafayette County and
Lamar County at 4.2% and 4.4% respectively. Thirty-two counties had rates lower than
or equal to the state rate of 6.6% and eleven counties reported double-digit
unemployment rates.
** NOTE – I counted them as their data chart showed and this paragraph above does not even express that much – and the numbers for this data chart are clearly lower than reality as shown by the national number which is off by other states’ estimates and none revised to the new 7.2% nationally admitted in Jan 2009. (And that is probably not correct either, since apparently most states have not submitted their numbers until the end of Jan 2009.)
***
November 2008
Civilian Labor Force 1,308,200
Unemployed 86,900
Unemployment Rate (Unadjusted) 6.6
Unemployment Rate (Adjusted) 7.2
Employed 1,221,300
Compared to October 2008
Employed 1,221,300 nov
1,224,600 oct
(lost 3,300 employed people from October to November 2008 – storm displaced?)
Unemployed 86,900 nov
90,700 oct
(lost 3800 unemployed people from October to November 2008, also)
Civilian Labor Force 1,308,200 1,315,300
(7100) missing people
** NOTE – I’m tired but wouldn’t the missing 3300 employed people turn up in the number of unemployed? – rather than what is shown – wouldn’t it be possible that some part of those 7100 people are all unemployed in Mississippi during November 2008? Did they all die or move?)
Initial UI Claims 18,203
Continued Claims 111,321
Nov 2008 – Mississippi
** NOTE – now, how can there be 129,524 unemployment insurance claims both initial and continuing if there are only 86,900 unemployed?
From-
Click to access labormarketdata.pdf
***
(Massively schizophrenic markets today – bloomberg anchor 3.18a.m.ET – about trading)1-15-09
Cricketdiane's Weblog 
You’ve basically made a
second list here! Ya have a heck of a lot to do as a new blogger.