Nov 8, 2009

A word on unemployment, which has now increased to 22.1%

Why is this EHS News?
There is a direct link to and hard job market and increases in serious injuries and incidents.
In the near future this will lead our nation to be literally suffering on the job without insurance, skilled EHS professionals or employees who 'buy in' to a safety culture.
Leaving employers with the tab and workers with the scars…
Shadowstats.com, identifies yet another group of people out of work, which are counted neither in U3 nor in U6. Williams reports the aggregate total that incorporates this group as SGS (Shadow Government Statistics) Alternate. First, here's his graph, updated with Friday's BLS numbers:
And here's his 2004 explanation of how he arrives at his SGS Alternate unemployment data, which has now increased to 22.1%!:
The SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate reflects current unemployment reporting methodology adjusted for SGS-estimated "discouraged workers" defined away during the Clinton Administration added to the existing BLS estimates of level U-6 unemployment.[..]

Up until the Clinton administration, a discouraged worker was one who was willing, able and ready to work but had given up looking because there were no jobs to be had. The Clinton administration dismissed to the non-reporting netherworld about five million discouraged workers who had been so categorized for more than a year.