OOPS! Gov. Lee shuts the door - and new unemployment claims jump 44%

The theory was that shutting the door on unemployment benefits would force folks to get out and find a job. 

So here we are, almost 2 weeks since Governor Lee shut down federal unemployment benefits, extended state benefits, and benefits for gig and self-employed Tennesseans.....and what is the result?
  
Well, you have to do some digging.... because, for some unexplained reason last week, the Tennessee Department of Labor announced they will no longer publish unemployment claims data.  (link here)
In fact, the only story they released yesterday about unemployment in Tennessee referenced the month of June. No mention of last week's numbers at all. 

So we visited the US Department of Labor's site and checked the just released (7/15/21) data.  As it turns out, last week, Tennessee's new unemployment claims went UP 44%.  Approximately 9,400 new claims, compared to 6,500 the week before.  (link here) 

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Did more people try to go out and find jobs? They may have tried, but the picture isn't nearly as rosy as many would have you believe.

For example, we searched Madison County's available jobs at jobs4tn.gov.  There are allegedly 2,400 job openings, and 23,242 active resume candidates. Which means, if you're looking for a job, for every 1 that lands it...9 others will be told 'no thanks', keep looking.

Further, they note that the fastest growing occupation for the region is Food Prep and Servers, with an average wage of $18,400 a year.  Cashiers are next fastest growing, at $18,290 a year, followed by retail salespeople at $19,990 a year.  Let's face it, folks aren't getting rich.  It's quite understandable why many Tennesseans are searching for better opportunities.  Yet the available job landscape doesn't leave a lot of options.  (data here)

We dug into those 2,400 job openings in Madison County, to see what those really are.  Over half of those listed are more than a month old.  Of those that are current (within the last month), only 102 of them pay more than $20K a year.  And if you don't have MORE than a high school diploma, only 51 of those are available. 

​If your family is struggling because you no longer qualify for unemployment, are having difficulty finding family-supporting employment, or the pandemic put you in a financial crisis....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith.

Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. 

​Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.