MASSACHUSETTS ADDS 2,800 JOBS IN JUNE

Massachusetts Adds 2,800 Jobs In JUNE

Unemployment Rate at 7.0 Percent

BOSTON, MA – July 18, 2013 – The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported that the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) preliminary estimates show that Massachusetts added 2,800 jobs in June and the total unemployment rate increased to 7.0 percent.  

Education and Health Services; Leisure and Hospitality; Other Services; Construction; Financial Activities; and Government added jobs in June.  In the first half of 2013, Massachusetts added 20,500 jobs.  Over the year, Massachusetts added 40,300 jobs, 37,400 of which were in the private sector. 

Over the year, the unemployment rate is up 0.3 of a percentage point from the June 2012 rate of 6.7 percent.   Revised BLS estimates show 6,700 jobs were added in May (preliminary BLS estimates showed 3,500 jobs were added in May).

June 2013 Employment Overview

Education and Health Services added 1,300 (+0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Education and Health Services added 17,200 (+2.5%) jobs.

Leisure and Hospitality added 700 (+0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality added 1,300 jobs (+0.4%).

Other Services added 700 (+0.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Other Services added 3,500 (+2.9%) jobs.

Construction added 600 (+0.5%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Construction has added 4,900 (+4.3%) jobs.

Financial Activities added 300 (+0.1%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Financial Activities lost 700 (-0.3%) jobs.

Professional, Scientific, and Business Services lost 1,900 (-0.4%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Professional, Scientific, and Business Services added 12,200 (+2.5%) jobs.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 900 (-0.2%) jobs over the month.  Over the year, Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 1,900 (+0.3%) jobs.

Manufacturing lost 100 jobs (0.0%) over the month.  Over the year, Manufacturing lost 4,000 (-1.6%) jobs.

Information lost 100 (-0.1%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Information added 1,100 (+1.3%) jobs.

Government added 2,100 (+0.5%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Government added 2,900 (+0.7%) jobs.

Labor Force Overview

The June 2013 estimates show 3,241,400 Massachusetts residents were employed and 242,200 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,483,600. The June labor force increased by 1,900 from 3,481,700 in May 2013, as 10,000 fewer residents were employed and 11,900 more residents were unemployed over the month. The labor force was an estimated 11,700 above the 3,471,900 June 2012 estimate, with 3,600 more residents employed and 8,100 more residents unemployed.  

The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers.  As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different monthly trends.

NOTES:  Beginning with the March 2011 estimates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has assumed responsibility for the production of the CES State and sub-state jobs estimates. BLS has also implemented methodological changes which may increase the month to month variability of the estimates. See Changes to procedures for producing Current Employment Statistics (CES) State estimates.

Local area unemployment statistics for June 2013 will be released on Tuesday, July 23, 2013. The preliminary July 2013 and revised June 2013 unemployment rate, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, August 15, 2013.  See the 2013 Media Advisory annual schedule for a complete list of release dates.

Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi.

"VyB, A Software Solution That produces Results in Gaining Employment"

The agenda for this Friday's Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) meeting will be featured by speaker, Jill Eastlake. The facilitator for this week will be Gil Krispien. We will devote the first hour, from 10 to 11 AM to the following agenda: Welcome, Landings, Announcements, New Member Intros, and Needs & Leads. Please arrive early, so we can make every effort to start on time. In the second hour, Jill will talk about "VyB, A Software Solution That produces Results in Gaining Employment."

VyB

The art of creating a resume for every job opening you are applying for can be a daunting and imprecise task. VyB is designed to make this process easier for everyone, and help you get the right job for your skills. Collaborator Jill Eastlake will describe the VyB product and why it will be of benefit to job seekers as well as finding the right fit for employers. Dan Drop, MBA, whom Jill is working with on this product, is a marketing guru with a strong background in Asian and international sales. Right now he is working in the Washington, DC area with plans to travel the world.

About Jill Eastlake

Jill Eastlake is a member of our HNG group who is working with her friend, Dan Drop, in establishing a new product, VyB. She has over 30 years of management experience, with a focus on software development and design. When this company is established she may devote more time to it. But, in the meantime, Jill continues to work with us to find an appropriate job that will make her volunteerism a hobby. In her copious spare time, of which she hopes to have less, she works on Science Fiction costuming and conventions as a volunteer.

Recap of HNG Meeting of June 21, 2013 (There was no meeting on July 5, 2013):

Our 102nd meeting of HNG had 33 people, this is 8 more than the previous meeting; 7 signed the New Member list. Vincent Rocheleau was our facilitator. There were 7 introduction speeches.

We had a speaker, Robert Dandrade, who talked about "Networking One-on-One." For this session, Bob shared his advice for Networking One-on-One, focused on the how-to's of face to face networking and informational interviews. Besides using the elevator speech and search plan as tools, Networking One-on-One requires certain skills which he covered.

Schedule for HNG Meetings:

July 19, 2013 Jill Eastlake "VyB, A Software Solution That Produces Results in Gaining Employment"
August 2, 2013 Joellyn Schwerdlin "Law of Attraction: Five Basic Principles to Make Your Career Dreams Come True"

General Information

The networking group meets in Hopkinton, at St. John the Evangelist Church parish hall. The meeting occurs, from 10 to 12 noon, and will meet the first and third Friday of the month. The parish hall has a capacity for 250 people and there is plenty of parking spaces in the parking lot and on the street. Around the perimeter of the parish hall are rooms to allow us to have focused network groups or for any other purpose we need. We chose the first and third Friday to allow everyone to attend the Acton Networking Group or any other networking group, if they wanted, on the Friday we do not meet.

We will maintain our close affiliation with Acton Networkers by using the same list-server to share information between the groups. Any e-mails specific to the Hopkinton Networking Group (HNG) will be indicated in the subject line either by "Hopkinton Networking Group" or "HNG"; this way anyone attending these meetings will know the e-mail is intended for them.

We will follow the following agenda items:
* Welcome
* Landings (with doughnuts)
* Announcements
* New member introductions
* Needs and Leads
* Speaker(s), Workshop, or Focus Group
* Cleanup

For those new members who give their introductions, this is what we would like to know:
* Name
* Skills and Value Statement
* Where have you been?
* Where are you going?
* Your title
* Your target companies
* Geography of search
* Name and e-mail address

If anyone wants to join our team, please let one of us know; we could always use the extra help and input for ideas.

Directions:
Take Rt. 495 North/South and get off Exit 21A. Go through three traffic lights. Colella's Supermarket is on the right at the third traffic light. The first street after the third traffic light is Church Street, take a right turn. The church is on the right. Go around to the left of the parking lot and go into the side entrance of the parish hall.

Depending upon where you live, perhaps you may want to use Mapquest for a more direct route. The address of the church is:
St. John the Evangelist
20 Church Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748

Regards,
Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) Coordinators:
Gil Krispien g.krispien@verizon.net
William Lam wmlam508@yahoo.com
Kathy McKenna kmurphmckenna@comcast.net
Vincent Rocheleau vrocheleau@hotmail.com
Salpi Sarafian ssarafian@rcn.com

Job Change Notifier is shutting down

Job Change Notifier is shutting down :(

Over the past two years, Job Change Notifier has helped LinkedIn users collectively track over 20 million connections, notifying users whenever any of their connections changed jobs. Unfortunately, LinkedIn is about to make a change to its API policy that will make it much harder to continue offering this service. As a result, I'll be shutting down Job Change Notifier as of July 15, 2013.

Thank you so much for signing up for Job Change Notifier and supporting my side project. I love creating cool things, and there will be plenty more to come. Please follow @roger_lee on Twitter to hear about my future projects.

Until then, here's a final summary of what Job Change Notifier achieved during its two-year life:

• 22 million LinkedIn connections tracked (almost 10% of LinkedIn's user base!)
• 14 million job changes recorded
• 7 million notification emails sent

Thanks,
Roger Lee
Creator of Job Change Notifier

What will you do with the time you have left?

ZeFrank always comes up with some good insights and in this brief (less than 3 minute video) Ze depicts the results of the American Time Use Study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Standards.





You can find additional info on the BLS website here http://www.bls.gov/tus/

To view other ZeFrank videos, visit his page here http://ashow.zefrank.com/

MASSACHUSETTS MODERNIZES UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (UI) SYSTEM

                                       

Massachusetts MODERNIZES Unemployment Insurance (UI) System

New online system streamlines UI payments; offers more convenience for job seekers and employers; safeguards against fraud

BOSTON – Monday, July 1, 2013 – The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development's Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) today launched UI Online, a modern, web-based system that replaces Massachusetts' outdated and fragmented unemployment insurance (UI) computer system.  

UI Online provides easier access to services for employers and job seekers, streamlines the claims process and strengthens the state's ability to prevent, detect and rectify UI fraud. These improvements will enhance the delivery of UI benefits for customers across the state, without changing the UI program itself, which provides eligible claimants with temporary income protection while unemployed. 

"The development and launch of UI Online modernizes the way we do business and the ease with which claimants and employers can access the system," said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Joanne F. Goldstein. "UI Online is a dynamic tool that keeps up with technology, more efficiently serves both job seekers and employers and significantly improves the integrity of the unemployment insurance system."

DUA has dedicated resources to enhance the state's UI system, a once paper-based system that has expanded over time to include access by phone and a limited web program for processing weekly unemployment insurance requests for benefits. UI Online now allows the convenience of self-service, while providing both job seekers and employers one-stop access to benefits, revenue and hearings systems. Job seekers may use UI Online to apply for UI benefits, reopen existing claims, request weekly benefits, check payment or claim status, sign up for direct deposit or tax withholding and update personal information quickly and easily.

DUA is offering a number of ways for customers to access the improved system. UI Online will be available to customers from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For customers choosing to use the phone system, DUA staff will continue to be available via phone service. Phone hours will expand to 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. until August 2^nd.  

By noon today, DUA had already served over 28,000 UI customers. These job seekers were able to request their weekly benefit payments through the online system or the automated telephone system.  DUA staff assisted thousands more over the telephone.

As part of UI Online's development, DUA embarked on a comprehensive outreach effort, notifying claimants, employers, legislators and elected officials and other stakeholders about the launch of UI Online to help familiarize users with the new system's advantages and tools.

"These new self-service options will help improve the UI claims process by more quickly resolving issues between employers and claimants," said Director of DUA Michelle Amante. "Replacing manual processes with modern technology also helps DUA staff provide better and more direct service to customers."

In addition to these enhancements, UI Online also provides comprehensive improvements to support the integrity of the state's UI program. Historically, DUA has used multiple methods to detect and investigate potential fraud by either claimants or employers including data mining and information cross-matches. To ensure program integrity and help safeguard against fraud, UI Online will offer better technology and increased capacity for DUA to launch additional cross-matches. DUA anticipates that these new tools will allow the state to further recapture millions of dollars from fraud, overpayments or employer failures to pay UI assessments.

As part of the Patrick Administration's overall efforts to make government more efficient, DUA will also begin issuing payments to eligible claimants through direct deposit or debit card. Paper checks will no longer be issued, saving the Commonwealth approximately $1 million annually.

"This latest phase of UI Online builds on the streamlined services currently available for employers," said John Regan, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts and member of the DUA Advisory Council. "We applaud DUA for moving forward with this enhanced system, offering improved resources for Massachusetts employers and expanding efforts to prevent potential fraud."

"UI Online offers a modern alternative for employers and job seekers interfacing with the state's unemployment insurance agency," said Rich Marlin, Legislative Director for the Massachusetts Building Trades and member of the DUA Advisory Council. "DUA has taken the time to engage with stakeholders ranging from claimants to local career centers to introduce customers to this new initiative and assist with the transition."

UI Online is the latest phase in DUA's ongoing initiative to overhaul its information technology infrastructure and improve customer service for both job seekers and employers. DUA's modernization project began in December 2009, when the agency launched a web-based revenue system for all Massachusetts employers. This enabled employers to electronically file their quarterly wage and employment information and also electronically pay their taxes. UI Online now integrates all necessary functionality, including UI benefits and appeals, into one system.

DUA provides UI benefits to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who are able to work, available for work and looking for employment. Funding for UI benefits comes from quarterly contributions paid by the state's employers; no deductions are made from workers' salaries or state tax revenues. Requirements of the program are determined by both state and federal law.

For customer support during the transition or to learn more about the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, visit www.mass.gov/dua.

Social Media Revolution

Given some of the statistics in this brief (3 min) video, how are you using social media for your job search?



If you are not, why not?

AARP: Announcing 2013 Best Employers for Workers Over 50

Announcing 2013 Best Employers for Workers Over 50 › View this email online ›

Flexible and alternative schedules are real The ability to work from home is a win/win for workers who want alternatives, and for employers who need to keep valuable, experienced workers on the job. See where you fit into the job market landscape – take our 2013 workforce quiz. Take the quiz The 2013 winners are in Best Employers: Check out these progressive companies and why they want to hire people like you. Read » Meet the 2013 #1 winner: National Institutes of Health Find out why NIH topped the list of 2013 Best Employers for Workers Over 50. Watch » Insights from recruiters Watch our exclusive webinar for tips from real employers on how you can promote your skill set. Watch » Find your next job with help from AARP Navigate the job market with helpful hints, articles and job listings for experienced workers. Search » Connect with Us Contact AARP Find Us Follow Us Questions about AARP or your membership? Contact AARP Subscription Information You are receiving this message because you requested to keep in touch by e-mail about AARP activities, events, and member benefits. Privacy Statement We are committed to protecting your privacy. See our Privacy Policy for more information. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for issues that matter most to families. Find out more about us here. Email AARP AARP ©1995-2013. All rights reserved. 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049