Unemployment for African-Americans Rises, Despite Job Growth

[Donnachaidh]

http://truthout.org/unemployment-african-americans-rises-despite-job-growth/1301544000

Employment among blacks fell back almost to its low-point for the downturn.
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The economy added 216,000 jobs in March, pushing the overall unemployment rate down to 8.8 percent. The growth was driven entirely by a 230,000 gain in the private sector, as the government sector lost jobs for the fifth consecutive month. The employment-to-population ratio (EPOP) also edged up to 58.5 percent -- the highest ratio since September -- although this is still 4.4 percentage points below the pre-recession peak.

African Americans do not appear to be sharing in the benefits of recent job growth. The EPOP for African Americans fell back by 0.3 percentage points to 51.9 percent, just 0.1 percentage points above the recession low hit September. The EPOP for black teens stands at just 14.8 percent. The overall unemployment rate for African Americans rose by 0.2 percentage points to 15.5 percent.

The big gainers in this report were white women who had a 0.2 percentage-point drop in their unemployment rate to 6.9 percent. Their EPOP rose by 0.4 percentage points to 55.7 percent. By contrast, the unemployment rate for white men edged down slightly from 7.8 to 7.7 percent, but their EPOP actually edged down from 68.1 percent to 68.0 percent.

More at the link --

[TK421]

1. so, what is your personal take on this? I'm not sure what to say here nt

[angstlessk]

2. That employers are racists when they can get away with it....I have seen this first hand

[TK421]

3. I'm not sure there is even job growth, at least, not around where I live n/t

edited to add: I know people who have been out of work, black and white alike, for extended periods of time that haven't found steady work...just for clarification

[OhioChick]

4. Same thing in my neck of the woods n/t

[TK421]

5. lol...I love your sigline there!

:D

[OhioChick]

10. It's true, isn't it?

:rofl:

[Donnachaidh]

6. we don't see job growth here - period

My DH found a job through a temp agency and the job went permanent a year ago. But since then this company hasn't hired on any permanents -- but they still utilize the temps when the workload backs up.

I've come to the conclusion that figures are being purposely fudged to reflect *positive* points. That's why I was surprised to see this article. This is probably more reality based than the admin would like to admit.

[TK421]

7. I have the same feeling as well after looking at it...thanks nt

[OhioChick]

9. "I've come to the conclusion that figures are being purposely fudged to reflect *positive* points. "

Bingo.

[xchrom]

8. Recommend

[devils chaplain]

11. Job growth (if there is any) is not occurring evenly distributed across all areas

Based on this I would bet inner city areas are lagging behind others.