Jobs lost, but unemployment rate remains level

Published: Saturday, July 20, 2013 at 19:38 PM.

Though nearly 11,000 left their jobs in the state in June, only 596 are considered unemployed and didn?t make a significant enough impact on the numbers, leaving the state unemployment rate at 8.8 percent.

June represented the last month many people would receive benefits under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, with the last benefit checks going out June 29. Also, the maximum weekly benefit reduced from $535 to $350 and the maximum period a person could receive benefits dropped from 26 to 20 weeks.

?Of course, since unemployment benefits have ended, we?ve seen an increase in traffic, like I envisioned two weeks ago ? ,? said Jamie Wallace, state Division of Workforce Solutions manager for Lenoir and Greene counties. ?We?ve seen a lot more people come into the office, looking for work, trying to get assistance in different areas.

?And, that?s probably happened in the last two weeks or so. We got a lot of phone calls the first week, and in the second week we had a lot more traffic.?

Some people denied that unemployment benefits may be eligible if anticipated tweaks to the law happen before the end of the General Assembly session.

An official with the federal Office of Unemployment Insurance said in a letter to Dale Folwell, assistant secretary of the state Division of Workforce Solutions, the new regulations didn?t square with federal law, and could lead to decertification of the state.

That could mean canceling the grant to the state government to run the unemployment programs, and doing away with a tax credit to state businesses estimated at $1 billion.

?For employment separations, a total reduction of benefits rights may be imposed only if the individual is discharged for misconduct connected with work, fraud in connection with a claim for compensation, or receipt of disqualifying income,? wrote Gay Gilbert, administrator of the OUI.

Gilbert specifically mentioned reducing or eliminating benefits for those who leave their jobs voluntarily, not seeking work while in job training programs or work in education.

For those who are actively seeking work, Wallace said there is employment to be had.

?We have job orders available ? there is work out there,? Wallace said. ?We just need people to come down, and then find and check out our services ? find what jobs are available and a job they may qualify for. But, we don?t have a shortage of job orders in the system. We?re just trying to find some good people to fill them.?

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.

North Carolina unemployment rate for 2013

June: 8.8 percent

May: 8.8 percent

April: 8.9 percent

March: 9.1 percent

February: 9.4 percent

January: 9.5 percent

Source: N.C. Department of Commerce

Source: http://www.kinston.com/news/local/jobs-lost-but-unemployment-rate-remains-level-1.175606

f 18 crash virginia tenebrae the lake house petrino arkansas roy williams divine mercy chaplet matt lauer