Washington Post (10/20/12) Bradford Plumer

According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment is falling in 41 states—but unemployment in the Northeast U.S. appears to have been getting significantly worse over the past year. The Northeast unemployment rate has risen from 7.9% in April to 8.5% this past September:

Among the theories as to why this is occurring is that the Northeast has been hit harder by the slowdown and debt crisis in Europe than anywhere else. The Northeastern U.S. exports more to Europe than any other region. Manufacturing has shrunk more rapidly in the region than anywhere else in the country this year. And the already-shrinking financial sector in New York and Connecticut has been battered by the euro zone’s debt crisis.

Meanwhile, the South has benefited greatly from oil and gas production. The West is buoyed by growth in technology firms, and the Midwest has the most diversified export markets. The housing market has been slower to recover in the Northeast than in the rest of the country, based on the latest data on home sales and prices. Also, states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut are all seeing a sharp cutback in public sector employment.

Philadelphia Inquirer (10/22/12) Joyce M. Rosenberg

Researchers at George Mason University and Chmura Economics and Analytics say more than 956,000 small business jobs could be lost if Congress fails to stop $109 billion in budget cuts slated for Jan. 2. However, lawmakers will wait until after the November election to discuss the issue of sequestration, forcing companies to pull back on hiring and reduce spending in the meantime. The estimate of job losses includes federal agencies and government contractors, as well as businesses that benefit indirectly.

Employment Staffing News Release (10/15/12)

Employment Control Inc. has acquired Talent Force in Memphis, TN, with the support of its financial partners, Harbert Mezzanine Partners and Claritas Capital. This is ECI’s second transaction in nine months as the company continues its strategy of organic and acquisitive growth in the mid-South and Southeast. Talent Force, established in 1986, provides staffing services to top employers in Memphis and the surrounding areas. Employment Control, headquartered in Shelby, NC, operates through the Employment Staffing Inc. and Temporary Professionals Inc. brands with 15 branches and three on-site locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Maryland.