WORKFORCE SERVICES OFFICE BUZZING WITH THOSE SEEKING = UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE

From: Subject: WORKFORCE SERVICES OFFICE BUZZING WITH THOSE SEEKING UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:48:57 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://activepaper.olivesoftware.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Rk5QLzIwMDkvMDgvMDgjQXIwMDYwMw==&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom%3c/a X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3350 WORKFORCE SERVICES OFFICE BUZZING WITH THOSE SEEKING = UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE

:Frederick=20 News-Post;

:Aug 8, = 2009;

:Business; =

:A-6

WORKFORCE=20 SERVICES OFFICE BUZZING WITH THOSE SEEKING UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE =

By ED WATERS JR. News-Post Staff=20 ewaters@fredericknewspost.com

    Job losses may be slowing = nationally, but=20 the Frederick County Workforce Services office is busier than ever.=20

    The national unemployment rate fell from = 9.5 to=20 9.4 percent in July, according to the U.S. Labor Department. The report = said=20 layoffs are fewer nationally, but Maryland and the Frederick area saw no = improvement in June. State and local figures lag a month behind the = national=20 report.

    Bureau of Labor Statistics = reports show=20 Maryland at 7.3 percent unemployment in June, up from 3 percent in June = 2008.=20 Frederick County=92s June unemployment rate was 6.6 percent.=20

    Laurie Holden, director of the Workforce = Services office, said while claims for unemployment insurance may be = down, =93the=20 number of people coming in here is still growing.=94=20

    People are staying longer at her office, = Holden=20 said, referring to jobless people applying for extended benefits and = returning=20 to the office to look for jobs and take additional skills training. = Training=20 ranges from help preparing for a job interview to computer skills.=20

    =93We are extremely busy,=94 Holden = said. =93We do two=20 orientation sessions a week, and they are packed. We went from one to = two=20 all-day workshops on how to get unemployment insurance, and those are = packed.=20 I=92m getting 100 new customers a week.=94 =

    The drop=20 in the national rate, the first since April 2008, may be misleading as = it does=20 not include those who have given up looking for work and part-time = workers.=20

    Many economists agree the downturn may = be=20 slowing, but is far from over. Some said it could be 2013 before = unemployment is=20 back to about 5 percent, which is considered a normal rate. But that = would mean=20 hiring at a rate of 125,000 jobs a month, the Labor Department said. The = Federal=20 Reserve has predicted the jobless rate could exceed 10 percent next = year.=20

    One positive aspect of the crisis is = that a pool=20 of skilled labor is available.

    =93This = is a great=20 time for businesses to find good talent,=94 Holden said.=20

    Those who come to the Workforce Services = office=20 range from factory workers and construction crews to professionals in = various=20 fields.

    For information call the = Workforce=20 Services office at 301-600-2255 or visit 5340 Spectrum Drive.=20