Sep 04 How Do We Compare Unemployment Across Decades If More People in a Household Are Working Now? Question: Economic reports routinely compare current unemployment statistics against historical unemployment statistics. However, I haven’t seen any discussion of the significant increase in the number of household members who are employed or looking for employment and its impact on such… Continue reading
Sep 04 Unemployment Rises to 9.7%, Though Hints of Recovery Remain By Quinn Bowman U.S. employers shed 216,000 jobs in August, increasing the unemployment rate to 9.7 percent, the highest level since 1983. Continue reading
Aug 31 Watch Few Glimmers of Hope for Unemployed Americans With the long-term unemployment rate at its highest level since 1948, the nation's jobless are taking little solace in recent data suggesting the recession is winding down. In the latest installment of his Making Sen$e series, Paul Solman explores the… Continue watching
Aug 28 Would Shortening the Workweek Stimulate the Economy? Question: Why doesn’t the federal government stimulate the economy by reducing the length of the workweek (the number of hours after which employees receive time-and-a-half pay)? Employers would respond by spreading the work load, which means more hiring and fewer… Continue reading
Aug 24 Simon Johnson on Jobs in the Recovery By Business Desk Editor’s note: As part of our continuing series of video conversations with economist Simon Johnson, author of the popular Baseline Scenario blog, which Paul Krugman calls a “must read,” today’s clip features a discussion between Paul and Simon… Continue reading
Jul 28 U.S. Home Prices Rise Slightly, Consumer Confidence Drops Again By Carolyn O'Hara A key measure of the housing market shows that U.S. home prices rose slightly in May, posting the first monthly increase since the summer of 2006. Meanwhile, consumer confidence continued to decline, according to another closely watched measurement. Continue reading
Jul 23 Is Unemployment Any Guide to Future Growth? Question: How reliable is unemployment data as a guide to future economic growth? Paul Solman: Not much at all, I wouldn’t think. For one thing, employment tends to FOLLOW growth — for the obvious… Continue reading
Jul 09 Why Do Tube Drivers Earn More than Bus Drivers in the UK? Robert Frank: A British reader posted the following query on my UK publisher’s web site: “Why do tube drivers get paid so much more than bus drivers?” An American economist trying to field questions about markets in the UK… Continue reading
Jul 05 Reader Response: The Uncounted Unemployed Paul Solman: A provocative response, via the PBS Ombudsman, to Thursday’s story about undercounting unemployment. The emailer said it was okay if her name was posted. I assume that means it’s okay to… Continue reading
Jul 02 Employers Shed More Jobs Than Expected in June, Unemployment Reaches 9.5 Percent By Admin, PBS News Hour Employers cut more jobs than expected in June, nudging the unemployment rate closer to double digits and quashing hopes for a quick economic recovery. Continue reading