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European Unemployment Hits Record High

CNNMoney — 2013-04-02T12:34:00+00:00

By Charles Riley

The recession in Europe grinds on.

Official European Union figures published Tuesday showed unemployment in the eurozone hit a record high of 12.0% in February, and young people are paying a particularly heavy price.

Wages Stink at America's Most Common Jobs

CNNMoney — 2013-04-02T07:53:00+00:00

By Tami Luhby

NEW YORK - America's most common jobs come with lousy pay.

Workers in seven of the 10 largest occupations typically earn less than $30,000 a year, according to new data published Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's a far cry from the nation's average annual pay of $45,790.

Food prep workers are the third most-common job in the U.S., but have the lowest pay, at a mere $18,720 a year for 2012. Cashiers and waiters are also popular professions, but the average pay at these jobs tallies up to less than $21,000 annually. There are 4.3 million retail sales workers out there, making them the most common job, but the position pays only $25,310 for the year.

Guns And Ammo Spark Jobs Boom

CNNMoney — 2013-03-26T08:18:00+00:00

By Aaron Smith

Guns and ammo are selling briskly these days, and that means weapons makers are hiring. Some manufacturers are scrambling to find enough workers.

Mike Weddle, head of maintenance at Dynamic Research Technologies, an ammunition manufacturer in Albany, Mo., says he is adding 10 new hires to his staff of 35. DRT's machine operators make between $10 and $17 an hour -- a healthy paycheck in a region where it's tough to find a job and the cost of living is relatively low.

Strippers Fight For Labor Rights -- And Start To Win

CNNMoney — 2013-03-22T07:54:00+00:00

By Emily Jane Fox

Sonja worked as a stripper in three states for 15 years.

Like any employee, Sonja had set hours, had to be on stage at a certain time and dress a certain way. She was penalized if she missed a shift.

America's Fastest-Growing Job Pays Poorly

CNNMoney — 2013-03-11T09:26:00+00:00

By Annalyn Kurtz

The fastest growing job in America pays poorly. Meet home health care aides.

These nearly 2 million (mostly minorities and women) workers do everything from prepare meals and clean homes, to bathe and change bedpans for elderly and disabled patients.

Workers Don't Share In Companies' Productivity Gains

CNNMoney — 2013-03-07T09:25:00+00:00

NEW YORK -- Companies are on a tear in terms of productivity and profits, but they aren't sharing much of the gains with their workers. The gap between hourly compensation and productivity is the highest it's been since just after World War II. This divergence is one of the major drivers of the nation's growing income inequality.

"A bigger share of what businesses in the U.S. are producing is going to the owners of the firms and the people who lent money to the firm, and a smaller share is going to workers," said Gary Burtless, senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution.

First Furlough Notices Go Out

CNNMoney — 2013-03-05T11:34:00+00:00

By Jennifer Liberto

The first furlough notices for government employees have gone out.

The Army sent letters on Feb. 28 and March 1 to unions warning that employees at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Gunpowder, Md., as well as the Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla, Wash., will be forced to stay at home without pay one day each week from April 22 through Sept. 21.

Workers Over 50 Are The New 'Unemployables'

CNNMoney — 2013-02-26T08:51:00+00:00

By Annalyn Kurtz

On one hand, they're too young to retire. They may also be too old to get re-hired. Call them the "new unemployables," say researchers at Boston College.

Older workers were less likely to lose their jobs during the recession, but those who were laid off are facing far tougher conditions than their younger colleagues. Workers in their fifties are about 20 percent less likely than workers ages 25 to 34 to become re-employed, according to an Urban Institute study published last year.

Transgender Job Seekers Face Uphill Battle

CNNMoney — 2013-02-26T08:32:00+00:00

By Blake Ellis

Rebecca Juro, 50, has been unemployed for the last four years and she can't help but think it's because she's transgender.

She has applied for almost 100 jobs and has gone on close to 20 interviews, but there have been no offers. No one says they aren't hiring her because she's transgender. But some employers tell her the job has been filled even though she continues to see postings for it online. Others have "laughed in my face."

Unemployed Would Lose Benefits If Federal Budget Cuts Go Through

CNNMoney — 2013-02-20T10:00:00+00:00

By Tami Luhby

The long-term unemployed can kiss goodbye almost 10 percent of their weekly jobless benefits if federal budget cuts go into effect on March 1. Many safety net programs, such as food stamps and Medicaid, are protected from the $85 billion in forced spending cuts, but extended federal unemployment benefits are vulnerable.

Pharmacist: Most Equal Job For Men And Women

CNNMoney — 2013-02-15T09:42:00+00:00

By Annalyn Kurtz

NEW YORK -- Doctors are still mostly men, and nurses are almost all women. But pharmacists are another story.

Pharmacy is a fast-growing profession offering a six-figure salary -- and the pay is nearly equal for men and women.

Why Unemployment Stretches Are Getting Shorter

CNNMoney — 2013-02-04T08:46:00+00:00

By Tami Luhby

NEW YORK -- The average time Americans spent unemployed dropped a record 2.8 weeks in January ... but hold the applause.

The reason is likely because many people ran out of unemployment benefits so they stopped looking for work, experts said.

Why 'Secretary' Is Still The Top Job For Women

CNNMoney — 2013-01-31T09:10:00+00:00

By Annalyn Kurtz

NEW YORK -- What's the most common job for American women?

The same as it was in the 1950s: secretary.

About 4 million workers in the United States fell under the category of "secretaries and administrative assistants" between 2006 and 2010, and 96 percent of them were women, according to the U.S. Census.

The Shoe Salesman: Soon To Be An Extinct Job?

CNNMoney — 2013-01-23T09:23:00+00:00

Online shopping -- with its deep deals and sheer ease -- has won over customers.

But people like Nelson Springer, a shoe salesman at Macy's who works on commission, end up paying the price.

100 Best Companies To Work For

CNNMoney — 2013-01-17T09:45:00+00:00

In its 16th year, Fortune's ranking of the best workplaces in corporate America welcomes five list debutantes, and what's more, 78 of them are looking to fill nearly 67,000 jobs.

21 People Charged In Unemployment Fraud Scheme

CNNMoney — 2013-01-17T09:21:00+00:00

By Annalyn Kurtz

Three people were arrested in California Tuesday for collecting fraudulent unemployment and disability benefits. To date, a total of 21 people have been charged in the $5 million scheme.

According to federal prosecutors, the conspiracy centered around a family claiming to operate several farm labor companies in Northern California. They sold fake pay stubs to other people in the community and used their companies to report false wages to the government.

For Nursing Jobs, New Grads Need Not Apply

CNNMoney — 2013-01-15T13:09:00+00:00

By Annalyn Kurtz

Since the recession, health care has been the single biggest sector for job growth, but that doesn't mean it's easy to get hired. Registered nurses fresh out of school are coming across thousands of job postings with an impossible requirement: "no new grads."

5 Jobs Where Pay Is Making A Comeback

CNNMoney — 2013-01-10T08:05:00+00:00

Thanks to increases in the second half of 2012, wages grew by about 3.5% last year, according to PayScale. These five jobs saw the largest year-over-year pay increases.

Smaller Paychecks Coming -- Bosses Say, Don't Blame Us

CNNMoney — 2013-01-02T09:17:00+00:00

By Jose Pagliery

Everyone's paycheck is about to take a hit, and it's not the boss's fault. But some business owners say it's a tough talk to have.

The rate of workers' payroll taxes, which fund Social Security, has been 4.2 percent for the past two years. As of Jan. 1, it's back to 6.2 percent, on the first $113,700 in wages.

Worst Christmas Ever: 'I May Lose My Unemployment Benefits'

CNNMoney — 2012-12-20T09:02:00+00:00

By Jennifer Liberto

This could be Karen Duckett's worst New Year, ever.

Duckett, 51, of Laurel, Md., is among 2.1 million jobless Americans whose unemployment benefits will end on Dec. 29, if Congress doesn't act.