Jobs - or the lack of them - Continue to Haunt Urban America

Highlights of the Urban League August 2010 Employment Report:

The economy lost a net 54,000 jobs in August, as large numbers of temporary Census jobs (-114,000) continue to wind down. Private employment increased by a modest 67,000. The labor market need to grow by 150,000 - 175,000 jobs each month to hold the unemployment rate constant.

The unemployment rate edged up slightly to 9.6% in August as labor force participation remained relatively stable. The black unemployment rate increased to 16.3% (from 15.6%) as the participation rate increased to 62.2% (from 61.5%). The unemployment rate for black men increased slightly (from 16.7% to 17.3%), as did the rate for black women (from 12.9% to 13.2%). The unemployment rates for whites (from 8.6% to 8.7%) and Latinos (from 12.1% to 12.0%) showed little change in August. Rates of teen unemployment were 23.8% for whites (from 23.5%), 45.4% for African-Americans (from 40.6%) and 33% for Latinos (from 35%). The rate of underemployment (including the unemployed, marginally attached and those working part-time for economic reasons) also increased to 16.7% (from 16.5%).

The ranks of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) continue to dwindle gradually - now at 6.2 million (down from 6.6 million) or 42% of all unemployed (from 44.9%). However, many of these workers may be settling for part-time rather than full-time jobs - the increase in the number of people working part-time for economic reasons more than offsets the decline in the number of long-term unemployed.

Health care (+28,000), professional & business services (+20,000), construction (+19,000), and mining (+8,000) all displayed modest growth in August as other sectors, including state government (-14,000) and local education (-10,400) jobs were lost.

The August 2010 Employment report, along with other timely reports on unemployment insurance, how job creation reduces the deficit and NUL's 6-point Job Creation Plan are available at the new State of Urban Jobs page.