Tarrant Business

Texas adds 230,800 jobs in 2010

Texas added 20,000 jobs in December and was up a total 230,800 over a year ago, the Texas Workforce Commission said Friday.

The state’s unemployment rate, however, rose to 8.3 percent from 8.2 percent from both a month and a year earlier, as the number of people looking for work rose.

The state lost 359,000 jobs in 2009.

Seven of 11 industries added jobs statewide in December over the previous month, led by construction, which added 8,700 jobs.

"The annual job growth rate in Texas has steadily risen every month during the past 12 months," Tom Pauken, the Workforce Commission chairman, said.

Texas had a total 10.449 million nonfarm jobs in December. Here’s a look at Texas industries, total December jobs, change over a year earlier, and change over November:

Mining and logging: 228,600, up 29,400, up 1,400

Construction: 586,300, up 32,300, up 8,700

Manufacturing: 840,500, up 28,000, up 3,100

Trade, transportation and utilities: 2,040,600, down 3,200, down 300

Information: 187,800, down 12,900, down 800

Financial activities: 631,100, up 4,900, up 800

Professional and business services: 1,287,300, up 64,100, down 3,300

Education and health services: 1,407,200, up 46,000, down 4,500

Leisure and hospitality: 1,026,600, up 25,000, up 6,600

Other services: 368,800, up 12,200, up 3,400

Government: 1,844,900, up 5,000, up 4,900

The state’s civilian labor force rose to 12.21 million in December from 12.17 million a month earlier, and 12 million a year earlier.

The Fort Worth-Arlington area had 858,300 nonfarm jobs in December, compared to 850,000 a year earlier. The area’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.9 percent from 8.2 percent a month earlier and 8 percent in December 2009.

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

Fort Worth-Arlington adds 3,600 jobs in October

The numbers aren't adjusted for seasonal fluctuations (the statewide numbers are), but here's a look at the Fort Worth-Arlington jobs picture in October, according to the Texas Workforce Commission's release today:

* Total non-agricultural employment: Up 3,600 jobs to 852,800 compared to September, and 8,200 over the same month in 2009.

* Mining, logging, and construction: Up 100 jobs to 53,800 over September, and down 600 over last year.

* Manufacturing: Down 200 to 87,300 over September, and up 800 over last year.

* Trade, transportation, and utilities: Up 700 to 196,400 over September, and down 2,200 over last year.

* Information: No change at 14,200 over September, down 1,000 from a year ago.

* Financial activities: No change at 48,800 over September, down 900 from a year ago.

* Professional and business services: up 300 to 92,500 over September, up 1,900 over the prior year.

* Education and health services: Up 300 to 108,600 over September, up 3,000 over the prior year.

* Leisure and hospitality: Down 1,200 to 91,100 over September, up 2,100 over the prior year.

* Other services: Down 100 to 32,000 over September, up 500 over the prior year.

* Government: Up 3,700 to 128,100 over September, up 4,600 over the prior year. Local government was the strength here, adding 3,200 as school districts continued hiring employees for the fall. State government added 400.

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

Texas adds 47,900 jobs in October, jobless rate remains 8.1 percent

Texas added 47,900 jobs in October, for a total 172,800  added in the last year, the Texas Workforce Commission said Friday. The state’s jobless rate remained at 8.1 percent, the year’s lowest jobless rate.

The U.S. jobless rate stayed at 9.6 percent.

“Every major industry added jobs in October, with notable increases in construction employment,” Tom Pauken, the Workforce Commission chairman, said.

Construction added 8,800 jobs, the largest monthly increase since April.

Mining and logging added 1,200 jobs, for a total 30,800 in the last year.

Manufacturing added 1,100 jobs, for a total 26,400 since October 2009.

Professional and business services added 4,200 jobs, for a total 50,600 added in the last year.

Education and health services added 5,400 jobs, for a total 38,800 in the last year.

Leisure and hospitality added 2,400 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities, 1,300 jobs, information, 1,000 jobs, and financial activities, 800. Government was up 19,100 jobs in October, but down 4,500 jobs in the last year.

Fort Worth-Arlington unemployment was 7.9 percent in October, up from 7.8 percent in September, but down from 8.1 percent a year ago. The metropolitan area figures are not adjusted for seasonal fluctuations.

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

Texas has second straight monthly job decline, Workforce Commission says

Here's more from today's Texas jobs release from the Texas Workforce Commission:

* August's jobs drop - caused by an expected and continued decline in Census jobs - was the state's second monthly jobs decline, following six months of gains.

* July's numbers - originally estimated as a gain of 4,600 jobs - were revised downward to a loss of 5,400 jobs from June.

* The annual growth rate for non-agricultural employment has been positive for the last four months and rose slightly in August to 1.3 percent.

* Non-agricultural employment dropped by 34,200 jobs to 10.356 million. Employment was 10.218 million at December 2009.

* Government jobs dropped to 1.822 million from 1.857 million, a loss of 35,300 jobs, as the Census shed workers.

* Non-government jobs rose to 8.534 million from 8.532 million, a gain of 1,100.

* Education and health services rose to 1.397 million jobs, up from 1.385 million, a gain of 12,400. Including a revised decline of 2,000 jobs in July, this segment gained jobs in three of the last five months over the previous month. Gain since August 2009: 57,300.

* Professional and business services had its eighth straight month of gains, going to 1.272 million jobs from 1.268 million, a gain of 4,100 jobs. Gain since January: 44,800.

* Manufacturing posted its eighth gain this year, adding 1,300 jobs for a total 838,500, up from 837,200.  Gain since August 2009: 17,800.

* Information put up its first monthly gain since February, adding 900 jobs for a total 189,500. Loss since January: 9,200 jobs.

* Construction added 200 jobs to 569,000, its fifth straight month of gains. Gain since March: more than 25,000 jobs.

* Financial activities added 100 jobs in August for a total 628,200, the sixth month of gains in the last 12.

* Mining and logging was unchanged 221,500, after six months of increases. Gain this year: 23,400.

* Leisure and hospitality lost 2,400 jobs after a revised gain of 4,200 jobs in July, the second drop in employment in the last three months.

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

Texas loses 35,300 government jobs with Census' end; other segments growing

More numbers on Texas jobs coming out this morning: Texas' jobless rate edged up to 8.3 percent in August from 8.2 percent in July, the Texas Workforce Commission says.

"The Texas unemployment rate continued to trend well below the U.S. unemployment rate for August of 9.6 percent," the commission said.

Texas lost 34,200 jobs during the month due to a loss of government jobs, but nongovernmental jobs increased in August, the commission said.

"Texas' annual job gains have been broad-based with most major industries experiencing positive job growth," Tom Pauken, the commission chairman, said in a release. "More temporary workers in Texas hired by the federal government for the 2010 Census were dropped from government payrolls in August. That contributed to a decrease of 35,300 government jobs during that month, thus resulting in overall Texas job losses in August."

Elsewhere, Texas added 12,400 education and health services jobs, and professional and business services added 4,100, the eighth straight month of gains for that segment.

Information, including media and telecom, added 900 jobs, and manufacturing added 1,300.

The Midland metro area had the state's lowest jobless rate at 5.6 percent.

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

Fort Worth-Arlington jobless rate 8.3 percent

The area's unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, fell to 8.3 percent in August from 8.5 percent in July, the Texas Workforce Commission says. It was 8.3 percent in August 2009.

FW-Arlington added 2,200 jobs over July. Local government added 1,300, with school districts back in session and hiring. Education and health services added 900. Federal government lost 600 jobs, with more Census workers being released.

The area added 4,400 jobs over the last 12 mnths. Local government added 4,000, and education and health services, 3,300.

More info upcoming on the statewide numbers.

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

 

More on U.S. jobs report...

Here’s an assessment on today’s U.S. jobs report from John Challenger, CEO of the Challenger, Gray & Christmas global outplacement firm:

"Overall, today’s report on the employment situation was fairly lackluster. The job market appears to be stuck in neutral as employers hang on to the workers they have, but are unable or unwilling to add new workers.  As a result, private sector payrolls grew by just 67,000 in August, well short of the level needed to make a dent in unemployment.

In the household survey, which is used to determine the unemployment rate and more likely to capture the number of Americans who are self-employed or working for very small firms, employment gains of 290,000 were offset by 261,000 added to the ranks of the unemployed.  Some of the newly unemployed may not have lost their jobs.  Instead, they may have re-entered the labor force after sitting on the sidelines.  The number of people categorized as not in the labor force fell by 341,000.

Other statistics were also mixed.  The number of people unemployed 27 weeks or longer fell by 323,000.  However, the number of people working part-time because of slack business conditions or lack of full-time positions increased by 331,000. This suggests that more people are simply trying to get their foot in the door by taking part-time assignments.”

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

U.S. employers add more jobs than forecast in August

Here's Bloomberg News' take on today's national jobs report:

"WASHINGTON -- Companies added more jobs than forecast in August, easing concern the world’s largest economy is sliding back into a recession.

Private payrolls climbed 67,000 after a revised 107,000 increase in July that was more than initially estimated, Labor Department figures in Washington showed Friday. The unemployment rate rose to 9.6 percent as more people looked for work. Meanwhile, a separate report showed service industries expanded more slowly than estimated.

The employment report bolstered Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s view that the conditions are in place for a pickup in growth in 2011. While companies such as Caterpillar Inc. are boosting staff as the global economy recovers, payrolls are expanding too slowly to bring down an unemployment rate hovering near a 26-year high."

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram

More on February's Texas jobs numbers...

The Fort Worth-Arlington area gained 100 jobs to 845,600 in February, from January, after accounting for seasonal factors, Texas Workforce Commission data shows.The DFW area lost 5,100 jobs to 2.845 million. - Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram 

Texas jobless rate stays same in February; state sheds 13,000 jobs

Texas shed 13,000 jobs in February, offsetting a gain the previous month, the Texas Workforce Commission said Thursday.

 

The state’s jobless rate stayed the same at 8.2 percent, unchanged from January, as the state’s civilian labor force grew by another 40,200 workers during the month.

 

Texas continued to fare better than the nation as a whole, which had a 9.7 percent unemployment rate in January.

 

“The Texas unemployment rate remained at 8.2 percent for the fourth month in a row,” Tom Pauken, the commission chairman, said in a release. “Although this serious national recession continues to have a negative impact here in Texas, the unemployment rate appears to have stabilized.”

 

Four industries added jobs stateside in February: Professional and business services employment, which added 9,000 jobs, its largest monthly gain since January 2008; manufacturing, up 2,900 jobs; mining and logging, up 1,200; and information, up 200.

 

Industries losing jobs included: Leisure and hospitality, down 4,300; education and health services, off 3,000; and financial activities, off 3,200. Construction was off 4,600 jobs, and trade, transportation and utilities, off 7,700.

 

“Although we sustained overall job losses in February, we experienced job gains in critical industries, such as manufacturing and professional and business services,” said Andres Alcantar, a TWC commissioner.

 

The Fort Worth-Arlington area added 100 jobs in February over January, after adjusting for seasonal factors.

 

- Scott Nishimura, jobs and workplace reporter, Star-Telegram