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Seattle Jobs from Bigger Downtown Signs?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:59:00 -0500

Could bigger downtown signs lead to more Seattle jobs? That's what some city officials think. In an effort to draw major businesses to the center of the city, a recent proposal from the Seattle Department of Planning and Development would allow prominent companies to place their names at the top of downtown skyscrapers. If passed, the proposal would be the first of its kind, as Seattle has long protected its skyline from advertising. A code established in 1986 barred any building sign from being higher than 65 feet, although an exception was made during the 90s for hotels and public buildings. The proposal also would put certain criteria around the type and size of signs allowed. For instance, only tenants with at least a 200,000-square-foot lease in one building could create a sign higher than 65 feet, and only one company could have its name at the top of a building. According to an article by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Proponents of the new proposal claim that allowing companies to better brand their space will attract bigger tenants to the downtown area and give them an incentive to stay there. The move also could help businesses create branding and thus in turn make Seattle a more competitive place for jobs. However, opponents of the idea think the new proposal could ruin Seattle's skyline, which is internationally known for being clean and pure.

Houston Sales Jobs for Managers

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:36:00 -0500

Lots of Houston sales jobs for managers will be created in the coming years. Visit http://houston.jobing.com/jobs/sales to learn more. Sales managers are responsible for directing the distribution of products or services to customers. They create training programs for sales reps and work with employees to establish sales territories, quotas, and goals. They also may analyze statistics to determine sales potential, inventory requirements, and customer preferences. There are generally no educational requirements to become a sales manager, but many employers prefer to hire applicants who have a college degree and some experience in a related occupation. Check out this retail sales job description. There were roughly 346,900 sales managers throughout the nation during 2008, and that number should grow by 15 percent by 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment in the Houston area is expected to increase from 5,000 workers during 2006 to 6,000 workers by 2016, resulting in 1,000 additional jobs and an overall growth rate of 20 percent, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Throughout Texas, employment is anticipated to grow from 20,000 workers during 2006 to 23,700 workers by 2016, accounting for 3,700 additional jobs and an overall increase of 18.5 percent. The industries that employ the most sales managers in the Houston area include:

Automobile dealers - 5.3 percent
Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers - 5.26 percent
Traveler accommodation - 3.6 percent
Electrical and electronic goods merchant wholesalers - 3.49 percent
Computer systems design and related services - 2.58 percent
Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers - 2.31 percent
Wholesale electronic markets, agents and brokers - 2.31 percent

During 2009, sales managers in the Houston area earned an average wage of $57.93 per hour, while those in Texas earned an average wage of $54.64 per hour and those across the country earned an average wage of $53.64 per hour.

Los Angeles Government Jobs Supported by Transportation Efficiency Initiatives

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:18:00 -0500

A push to increase the efficiency of local transportation systems could help create more Los Angeles government jobs. Several local leaders are coming together to discuss how transportation reform can be accelerated in an effort to increase efficiency and create jobs. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Sen. Barbara Boxer, who also serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, recently co-chaired a roundtable to discuss these opportunities. Part of the effort is focused on the 30/10 Initiative, which is meant to decrease the number of years needed to build 12 mass transit projects from 30 to 10 years by using sales tax as collateral. That project alone would create 160,000 new jobs and result in 77 million more transit boardings, 521,000 fewer pounds of mobile source pollution emissions, 10.3 million fewer gallons of gasoline, and 191 million fewer vehicle miles traveled. Keep in mind that because these will be government positions, anyone applying for a job will be expected to undergo a California background check (Click here). "With 30/10 as a model for federal-local partnership, America's cities can build clean transit lines faster, creating jobs, saving money, improving air quality, reducing traffic, and efficiently transporting millions of people every year," Villaraigosa said. "Since no one federal program is large enough to build all 12 of our projects, we need to modify existing programs and create a new paradigm for leveraging local investment." The roundtable discussion included testimony from leading figures in public, finance, infrastructure, environmental and urban policy. Those experts recommended increasing the total amount of funding available through the Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act. "As we develop the new transportation law, we have the opportunity to reform current programs to leverage resources, create more jobs and accelerate construction of the transit systems, roads, and other facilities our communities need," Boxer said.

San Antonio Jobs Created by TEF Funding

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:42:00 -0500

Some new funding will help one company expand and create hundreds of San Antonio jobs. Becton, Dickinson and Company recently announced that the company will receive $1.56 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund in order to create a global professional services headquarters in San Antonio. The funding will additionally help BD - a leading global medical technology company - to create 296 jobs and generate about $6.35 million in capital investment. "We are very pleased to be expanding our operations to include a new facility in San Antonio, Texas," Edward J. Ludwig, chairman and CEO of BD, said. "San Antonio met all of the criteria that we were seeking in order to meet our business requirements. The excellent pool of potential employees and skilled labor, along with proximity to academic institutions, were significant draws, as well as the support we received from local officials and the Texas Enterprise Fund. "BD looks forward to becoming a good neighbor and a valued corporate citizen in this community, as we are in the other communities in which we operate around the world," he added. BD works to develop, manufacture and sell medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The company's goals are to improve drug delivery, enhance the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advance research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. The company is currently establishing four global professional services headquarters throughout the world. The facility in San Antonio will oversee all of the company's operations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. "Texas continues to attract Fortune 500 companies and jobs thanks to our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulatory environment, skilled workforce, and investments from the Texas Enterprise Fund," Gov. Rick Perry said. "BD's new facility will not only result in more growth for Texas' thriving biomedical industry, but it will attract hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in capital investment to San Antonio."

Dallas Work Moving to Missouri

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:24:00 -0500

Some Dallas work is being moved to another state. Expedia Inc. recently announced its plans to close the company's call center in Arlington and move about 170 jobs to an operation in Springfield, Mo. The company's Springfield operation, which currently employs about 270 workers, will gain up to 500 new jobs during this expansion. In addition to the jobs from Arlington, Expedia also plans to relocate about 150 jobs from the Dallas area, as well as several jobs from North Texas. Those positions include financial operations, vendor banking, and vendor services. Employees in the Dallas area are being given the option to move to Springfield, and those who choose not to move will have the opportunity to pursue other jobs within the company. In addition to the relocation of positions from the Dallas area, Expedia also plans to hire some new employees at the Springfield location. Those positions will be in customer service, financial operations and other roles supporting Expedia and Hotels.com. "There are some operational efficiencies we can achieve in Springfield," Taylor Cole, director of public relations for Hotels.com, told the Dallas Business Journal. "We have worked with the city and state governments there on building a strong operation in Springfield." After the Arlington call center is closed and all the employees are relocated to Springfield, Expedia will still employ more than 300 people in the Dallas area.

Sales Jobs in Dallas That Pay Well

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:58:00 -0500

Whenever you're inquisitive about which sales jobs in Dallas are available, there are an endless amount of jobs, although as with any industry section, several openings wage added than other options. Plenty of sales opportunities in Texas could increase in the near future, so if you're simply looking for an employment opportunity that's easy to discover, plenty of sales jobs should accommodate your needs. While available posts for most sales jobs could increment in the forthcoming years, various positions might allow you to realize a high wage than other positions. A deal of sales jobs award a starting remuneration and commission, meaning your broad pay capability would count on however suitably you can put on the market your offerings. Since that conclusion, in accordance to a story by Jobs 4 Sales, those wanting to earn the biggest funds may become aware of a serve-kind of office or one which will allow you to promote costly stuff to agencies. Such types of opportunities ought to concede more funds than jobs that simply deal with people. At hand are some selling jobs that might garner a 6-integer earnings: Consultatory sales - These workers operate for companies that promote their know-how to additional agencies, resulting in the substantive commissions may get to persons which possibly could ground the prominent deals. On medium, people realize a groundwork salary amongst $120,000 a year and $250,000 per year and are able to gain commissions 'tween $25,000 and $3 million. Consumer packaged goods selling - Workers in such an occupation market packaged items to market stores. They earn a norm starting salary amongst $150,000 a year and $180,000 a year and are capable to receive commissions amongst $100,000 and $150,000. Digital media sales - These workers possibly could assist businesses take the changeover from normal to digital media. They cover with everything from developing banners and buttons to optimising research web sites to administering IP TV, video-on-request and mobile phone production. Laborers get paid an medium beginning pay betwixt $170,000 per twelvemonth and $180,000 a year and could earn bonuses 'tween $130,000 and $220,000. Health-care-mechanism sales - This is a grand occupation for individuals with know how selling devices or compensation positions, whilst companies in the health care gadget business care to hire persons with company-to-business sales know how. The medium remuneration goes between $0 per yr and $70,000 per yr and folks may clear commissions within $200,000 and $300,000. Outsourcing post - This could include selling such stuff as telephone set of buildings, plant care, bureau governance, individuals resources or RPO (Click here), fee and rule conformity services. corporations repeatedly favor to utilise folks that have know how in the business they're merchandising objects to. Persons garner an intermediate compensation of $150,000 a yr to $200,000 per twelvemonth and could get commissions 'tween $200,000 and $500,000. Software sales - Employees in this sector must grasp how to merge consultive sales with the fair share of persuasion, too it helps to bear particular it perception, for you possibly could be merchandising everything from recruitment software to accountancy packages. Workers make an norm salary of $80,000 per year to $100 million each twelvemonth and are capable to attain commissions within $250,000 and $1 million. Initiate-up occupation expansion - Such employees labor to promote commence-upward companies, therefore you'll need to comprise dialogue capacity and a gift for merchandising it stuff to a un-it bunch. Workers make an average wage of $150,000 each twelvemonth and may produce limitless commission. Tele-communications selling - Employees in this sector advertise tele communications material, such as net or security services, to large organizations. Workers take home an medium remuneration amongst $70,000 each twelvemonth to $100,000 each year and are able to realise bonuses of $100,000 to $200,000.

Jobs in Denver Supported by New Plan

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:53:00 -0500

One official is working hard to retain and create jobs in Denver and throughout Colorado. Mayor John Hickenlooper recently released his plan for creating jobs throughout the state. The backbone of the "Job Creation Roadmap" is to build up small businesses from the local level. According to an article by The Denver Post, Hickenlooper has created a panel of 200 experts to focus on job creation and economic growth. "We will work with regional and local officials to encourage a pro-business atmosphere throughout Colorado, melding Colorado's tourism marketing with business recruitment efforts and encouraging cross-marketing and branding for Colorado products and services," he said. The region-specific plan would brand Colorado as an innovation hub with the goal of retaining current jobs, expanding local businesses and attracting new companies, and igniting entrepreneurial start-ups. Under the plan, state officials would ask county businesses and leaders to advise economic experts in nine regions of Colorado. Those regional plans would then be used to guide the state's overall economic development strategy. If Hickenlooper is elected governor and his plan is put into motion, it could help Colorado's somewhat improving economy. During May, Colorado's unemployment rate remained at 8 percent for the second month in a row, after increasing from 7.9 percent during April. The state had a total non-farm employment of 2,206,500 workers during May, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,201,600 workers during April, but a 1.9 percent decrease from last year. The Denver-Aurora-Broomfield area had a total non-farm employment of 1,181,300 workers during May, which is up from 1,169,300 workers during April, but a 2.1 percent decrease from the previous year.

Potential St Louis Tech Jobs Go to Columbia

Tue, 18 May 2010 16:12:00 -0500

Nearby Columbia has landed hundreds of positions that some experts thing could have been St Louis tech jobs. Gov. Jay Nixon recently announced that IBM plans to open a new services delivery center in Columbia. The facility will create 800 high-tech jobs by 2012. The new facility is slated to open this November with 100 workers, and IBM plans to pay employees an average salary of $55,000, which is highly competitive within the IT industry. "It is exciting that one of the world's most respected and recognizable brands in the IT industry has chosen mid-Missouri as the location for its new services delivery center, which will create 800 high-tech, competitive jobs," Nixon said. "IBM's decision to invest in Missouri is a strong indication of the momentum of our economic recovery. I look forward to strengthening our partnership with IBM for many years to come." IBM officials say the company chose Columbia from more than 24 cities throughout the country because of its quality workforce, competitive business model, and the strong public-private partnership offered by the state and city. Some critics are wondering why IBM chose Columbia over St. Louis, which also has low energy costs, a strong IT industry, and a skilled and larger high-tech workforce. Steve Johnson, vice president of economic development at the Regional Chamber and Growth Association, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that IBM was never considering the city. The reason seems to be that St. Louis is simply too large, as IBM was considering smaller towns for its new facility. In fact, the company's existing two facilities in the United States are located in Lansing, Mich., and Dubuque, Iowa. The new facility will be located within an existing building in Columbia. IBM will be able to lease the 93,000-square-foot building for $1 per year for 15 years. It will house a services delivery center that will help provide IT services to the company's national and international clients. The delivery center will provide server systems operations, security services and end-user services, including maintenance and monitoring of computer hardware and software systems. IBM will receive several incentives for the project, including an $8.6 million Missouri BUILD award and $14.7 million from the Quality Jobs program. Both programs provide incentives to companies that create a pre-determined number of jobs and meet other qualifications. Missouri also will provide IBM with $4.3 million in New Jobs Training funding; $300,000 in Customized Training funding; and $412,500 in Employee Recruitment and Referral Savings funding.

Houston Jobs Cut by Continental and United Merger

Tue, 11 May 2010 11:09:00 -0500

The merger of two prominent airlines will result in the loss of Houston jobs. Continental and United Airlines recently announced plans to merge, a move that will create the largest airline in the world, but also will result in some job losses. The exact number of jobs that will be lost as a result of the $3.2 billion deal has not yet been released, but it is expected that positions in Houston and Chicago - where the company's new headquarters will be located - will be affected. Continental currently employs 17,000 workers in Houston, with about 3,000 of those working at the company's downtown headquarters. "There will be people who will lose their jobs at 1600 Smith (Continental's downtown headquarters), just as there will be people who will lose their jobs in Chicago," Continental CEO Jeff Smisek told the Houston Chronicle. "You eliminate duplicate functions. That's part of the savings of a merger." Smisek will become CEO of the new airline and move to Chicago while keeping an office in Houston. Glenn Tilton, current chairman, president and CEO of United, will serve as non-executive chairman of the new airline's board until Dec. 31, 2012. Continental officials have said that Houston will remain a top employer for the new airline, as the area will continue to serve as the company's Latin American global gateway. In addition, the company will continue supporting local arts, sports and charitable organizations. And despite the pending job losses, Continental expects that Houston will eventually see an increase in jobs as the airline's hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport expands. United will be the largest private employer in Chicago after moving its operations from nearby Elk Grove to downtown Chicago. The city is offering United $35 million in economic incentives for the move.

Fort Lauderdale Jobs Hard for Small Businesses

Tue, 04 May 2010 15:22:00 -0500

Small businesses moving to or operating in the area have a hard time supporting Fort Lauderdale jobs. A recent study from the City of Fort Lauderdale and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce found that it can takes months to obtain a business permit as applications are passed back and forth among departments. The $60,00, seven-month study - which was compiled through a telephone survey of more than 870 businesses in the area and an in-depth survey of nearly 40 businesses - was aimed at keeping and growing local businesses. The study found that Ft. Lauderdale needs to improve: permitting rules and processes; city signage, noise and parking ordinances; the overall cost of doing business; east to west commutes; and the availability of technical and engineering talent. In addition, the survey uncovered that there is a weak perception of public education. "The city in general needs to have a more 'can-do' attitude, versus 'no,'" Tim Petrillo, president of The Restaurant People Inc., told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Pertillo, who took part in the in-depth survey, hopes the survey will entice city officials to offer clearer rules and quicker aid to businesses and curtail the amount of time applications spend going among offices. Mayor Jack Seiler said Ft. Lauderdale is working to address concerns brought up in the survey. For instance, the city is growing its economic development office; streamlining the process for permits; and centralizing business information online. The city also is considering a "concierge-style" service for applicants. The survey further found that most companies in Ft. Lauderdale employ fewer than 10 workers, came to the city because of its location, and rank the city as "excellent or good" for business. In addition, the recent economic downturn has taken its toll on local companies. The recession has caused 56 percent of companies to see a decline in business, 26 percent to see no change in business and 8 percent to be concerned their company could close.

Baltimore County Jobs Going Green

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:37:00 -0500

The green industry is helping to create Baltimore County jobs and make the city more sustainable. The Baltimore Office of Sustainability recently released its first annual report on the Baltimore Sustainability Plan, which was developed by more than 1,000 citizens and adopted by the Baltimore City Council during March 2009. The annual report will outline the progress made to date toward achieving goals of the BSP and highlight the work underway to benefit the economic, social and environmental health of the city. "Sustainability becomes increasingly more important to us as a city, a state and a nation because we recognize that our global resources are finite," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. "By making smart decisions about how we use resources, and involving residents in the process, we can save money, improve quality of life, and position Baltimore to benefit from growing investment and job creation in the green economy." The report identifies the seven goal areas of the plan, including: cleanliness; pollution prevention; resource conservation; greening; transportation; education and awareness; and green economy. Each of those sections includes a feature story highlighting the accomplishments that have been made in an effort to achieve the goal of sustainability, as well as steps citizens can take to move the process forward. The report also delves into the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, which improves health outcomes for households in Baltimore while saving residents money on their energy bills and reducing their environmental impact. In addition, the report takes a look at the recent expansions of Baltimore's public transportation system, including the Harbor Connector water taxi service and the Charm City Circulator. The water taxi average 200 trips per day during an eight-month period, reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. The CCC is a system of hybrid buses that offer free service to passengers.

Those with Military Jobs Benefit from Friendly Schools List

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:42:00 -0500

Those with military jobs (Click here) looking to further their education now have an additional resource. At the end of last year, G.I. Jobs released its 2010 list of Military Friendly Schools. The list includes the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that do the most to embrace America's veterans as students. More than 7,000 schools were considered for the list, and while those that made the cut range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools, they all make it a priority to recruit students with military experience. "Military students bring a high degree of maturity, life experiences, diversity, leadership and worldliness to the classroom," Dr. Dorothy Bassett, dean of Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement, said. "Other students and faculty benefit from the different perspectives that service members and veterans bring." The passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill made tens of billions of dollars in tuition money available, intensifying an already strong desire for colleges to bring veterans into their classrooms. "This list is especially important now because the recently enacted Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school," G.I. Jobs Publisher Rich McCormack said. "Veterans can now enroll in any school, provided they're academically qualified. So schools are clamoring for them like never before. Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend." One example of a stellar veteran-friendly school is San Diego State University. The school recently converted a fraternity house into one exclusively for veterans. "We wanted to provide an opportunity for veterans to integrate more into campus life," Dr. James Kitchen, vice president for student affairs at SDSU, aid. "This veteran house is a unique opportunity for student veterans and the other students living on campus to get to know each other on a level that isn't afforded in the normal academic environment." Other schools on the list offer additional benefits to veteran students, such as on-campus veteran programs, credit for service, and military spouse programs. The list was compiled through extensive research, which was developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Committee, made up of educators and administrators from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toledo, Duquesne University, Coastline Community College and Lincoln Technical Institute. Criteria for making the list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students, and academic accreditations.

Emergency Management Jobs

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:04:00 -0500

As the popularity and necessity of the field increases, so do the opportunities for those seeking emergency management jobs. Emergency management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks, according to Wikipedia. It involves preparing for disaster before it occurs, disaster response, and supporting and rebuilding society after a disaster. The actions taken by emergency management professionals depends on the risk of those involved. Effective emergency management relies on integration of plans at all levels of government and non-government involvement. It's most common for a governmental agency or emergency services to handle the responsibility of emergency management. Since the Cold War, emergency management is one of the terms which has replaced civil defense, because the original focus was to protect civilians from military attack. Modern thinking focuses more on a general intent to protect people in times of peace and war. Those who work as emergency managers are trained in a wide variety of disciplines to support them throughout an emergency life cycle. Most emergency managers focus on either government and community preparedness or private business preparedness. Emergency management workers are usually trained by local, state, federal and private organizations. They learn skills ranging from public information and media relations to high-level incident command and tactical skills. The emergency management sector has traditionally consisted of workers with a military or first responder background. In recent years, however, the field has become more diverse, with workers from a variety or backgrounds Part of the reason the occupation is becoming more diverse is that the educational opportunities for those seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees in a related field have continued to increase. There are currently eight schools in the nation that offer an emergency management-related doctorate program, and one that offers a program specifically for emergency management. As the need for these professionals increases, professional certifications - such as Certified Emergency Manager and Certified Business Continuity Professional - are becoming more common. While the nature of the work depends on local economic and social conditions, most emergency management workers focus on the long-term plan. The process usually includes four phases - mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The international organizations that focus on emergency management include: the International Association of Emergency Managers, Red Cross/Red Crescent, United Nations, World Bank and European Union.

Sarasota Jobs Created by Osprey Expansion

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:15:00 -0500

The expansion of a local biotech firm will create more Sarasota jobs. Osprey Biotechnics Inc. recently announced that it will expand to a larger facility in Sarasota County and create an additional 35 positions during the next three years. Osprey, which is based in the City of Sarasota, is a biotechnology company that manufactures beneficial bacterial products that promote animal health, plant health and environmental restoration. The company currently employs 35 workers and its expansion marks the third expansion or relocation announced for Sarasota County during the last two months. Osprey's new facility will be used to develop and launch the company's new fungal product line, which will be beneficial in promoting plant health through bio-pesticides that replace chemicals. The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County offered Osprey local performance-based incentives aimed at creating high-wage jobs. The EDC also helped the company apply for an incentive from Sarasota County that's based on creating jobs that exceed the average annual wage in the county. "Offering incentives to grow jobs in Sarasota County allows us to boost the local economy by facilitating the expansion and relocation of companies in high-growth industries," Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta said. Osprey joins a growing group of biotech firms in the area, including IntegraClick and Success Group International. All of the companies combined are expected to create a total of 240 jobs during the next few years.

Dallas Retail Jobs with Blockbuster Cut

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:13:00 -0500

One major movie rental store is cutting Dallas retail jobs. Blockbuster Inc. recently announced that it will cut an unspecified number of jobs, including several executive positions, in an effort to reorganize the company's Dallas-based corporate staff. Company spokeswoman Michelle Metzger told The Dallas Morning News that Blockbuster completed a realignment of resources at its corporate headquarters and distribution center in McKinney last week. Blockbuster, which is the largest movie rental chain in the United States, laid off a "small fraction of its 3,000 employees in Dallas-Fort Worth" in an effort to continue optimizing resources. As of late, the company has been closing some stores and adding kiosks through a joint venture with NCR Corporation, but has been losing market share to Netflix and Redbox. "Consumers are finally embracing digital downloads as more television shows are made available for free on the Internet and new televisions, DVRs and video game players are equipped to receive movie downloads," The Dallas Morning News notes. "Blockbuster is participating in all those new formats, too, but it has more competition in the digital world." One positive for Blockbuster - its largest competitor, Movie Gallery Inc., recently filed for bankruptcy for the second time since 2007. The company, which owns Hollywood Video, plans to close 805 stores, or about one-third of its total. During December 2009, the Dallas-Plano-Irving area's unemployment rate increased from 7.9 percent to 8 percent, following a decrease from 8.3 percent during November. Despite the increase, the area's rate was still lower than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10 percent, although that rate has now decreased to 9.7 percent. The Dallas area had a total non-farm employment of 2,077,500 workers during December, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,071,800 workers during November, but a 2 percent decrease from December 2008.