Archives for December 2022

5 Career Opportunities for Disabled Individuals

December 7, 2022 by Tim McMahon

No matter what type of disability you may have, the good news is that there is a great career waiting for you in all types of industries. Unlike in years past when employers may have been hesitant to hire disabled workers, the job market of today is eager to hire workers of all backgrounds and skills. Should you be a disabled individual who is looking for a great career opportunity, here are five possibilities you may want to consider.

File Clerk

If you have a hearing impairment, being a file clerk would be a great career. The perfect job if you like routine work and keeping track of records, this job requires minimal contact with others on a daily basis, letting you work alone while you keep things organized.

Credit Counselor

Should you have a visual impairment, consider becoming a credit counselor. Working with a variety of clients, you will help people establish budgets, understand how to set and reach financial goals, and much more. A job where it is key for you to build interpersonal relationships with others, it has an annual average salary approaching $45,000.

Actuary

One of the best disability job opportunities for people who have mobility issues, becoming an actuary will provide you with a great and satisfying career. Working for an insurance company, you would use your math and statistical skills to help companies analyze risk, which helps determine insurance coverage for various situations. A job that is always in demand, the annual salary can often exceed $100,000. [Read more…] about 5 Career Opportunities for Disabled Individuals

4 Careers that Don’t Require a 4 Year Degree

December 7, 2022 by Tim McMahon

If you’re stuck in a job you hate or find yourself unemployed, it can be tempting to just give up and resign yourself to your fate. But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are plenty of good jobs out there that don’t require a four-year degree. And the best part is, you can often get the skills you need by completing an online course.

Medical Coding

If you’re looking for a job in the medical field that doesn’t require years of school, medical coding might be a good fit for you. Medical coding is the process of turning diagnoses and procedures into numeric or alphanumeric codes. These codes are then used for insurance reimbursement and to keep track of medical data. You can complete online medical coding classes in as little as six weeks, so it is definitely a career that doesn’t require a 4-year degree!

Web Design

With more and more businesses moving their operations online, there’s a growing demand for web designers who can create attractive and user-friendly websites. If you have an eye for design and some basic coding skills, you can learn everything you need to know to get started in web design through a variety of free and paid online courses. You can easily get started without a 4-year degree. [Read more…] about 4 Careers that Don’t Require a 4 Year Degree

November Jobs Report

December 2, 2022 by Tim McMahon

Employment Up – Unemployment Unchanged

Unadjusted Employment rose from 154.416 million to 154.990
Labor Force Participation is Down from 62.2% to 62.1%
Adjusted U-3 was unchanged at 3.7%
Unadjusted U-3 was unchanged at 3.4%
Unadjusted U-6 was Up from 6.3% to 6.4%

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its employment / unemployment report for November on December 2^nd.

According to the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 263,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent. Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, health care, and government. Employment declined in retail trade and in
transportation and warehousing. The November gain in nonfarm payroll employment was roughly in line with average growth over the prior 3 months (+282,000). Monthly job growth thus far in 2022 has averaged 392,000, compared with 562,000 per month in 2021.”

You can read the full BLS report here.

As usual, they are talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” from the “Household Survey” rather than looking at the results reported by actual companies in the BLS “Establishment Survey”.

Looking at the Establishment Survey report, we see…
Originally the BLS reported employment of 154.369 million for October, which they adjusted up to 154.416 million. So, 47,000 additional jobs appeared for October.

November gained an additional 574,000 jobs bringing the total up to 154.990 million.

ADP^® National Employment Report

According to ADP, in collaboration with Stanford Digital Economy Lab

Private employers added 127,000 jobs in November

Job creation slowed by the most since January 2021, led by construction and other interest rate-sensitive sectors. Consumer-facing segments – including health care and hospitality – were bright spots.

ADP also lists increases by “firm size”.

Last month (October) ADP posted these changes…

For November, the numbers definitely look worse, with virtually all the gains in mid-sized companies. People are becoming more risk-averse, so fewer small companies are being started. At some point, when jobs are scarce, starting your own business becomes the only option, so small company creation increases again. :

November 2022 Employment by Sector

The employment “bubble chart” is a quick and easy way to see how each sector performs on a seasonally adjusted basis. The Bubble’s Size tells us the total Employment for that industry (i.e., larger bubbles mean more people are employed in that sector).

The bubble’s location on the chart tells us that there has been a change in Employment Levels over the most recent month… A bubble further to the right indicates larger job growth. A bubble’s vertical location on the chart shows the average industry salary.

In November, Leisure and Hospitality, Education, Construction, Manufacturing, and “Other” were the big gainers, while Retail was the big loser.

Average Weekly Wages Rose

$1,129.01 in November, $1,124.01 in October , $1,119.87 in September, $1116.42 in August, $1,116.54 in July, $1,106.76, in June, $1,105.47 in May and $1,102.01 in April, and $1,086.46 in December 2021. Surprisingly, Retail was the big loser, which is unusual for this time of year. [Read more…] about November Jobs Report

Are You Eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits?

December 1, 2022 by Tim McMahon

If you are unable to work due to a disability, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability (SSD) Benefits. Like all government programs, there are very specific requirements you have to meet in order to be eligible for benefits. Plus, the application process for these benefits may be a bit daunting, but finding out if you qualify is worth the effort.

Eligibility for SSD Benefits

You must meet two basic criteria to be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits:

You must have a medical condition that meets the criteria of disability as defined by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Your situation should have precluded you from working for about a year or be anticipated to bar you from working for over one year.

The medical condition must prevent you from engaging in “substantial gainful activity.” Work that pays over $1,070 monthly (or $1,800 if you are blind) is considered this. The SSA’s website has a list of disabling conditions, which includes:

Cancer
Muscular dystrophy
Amputation
Multiple sclerosis
Cerebral palsy
Arthritis, etc.

Depending on your age, you must also have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a certain number of years. For example, a 31-year-old must have worked for the previous ten years. People who become disabled before age 22 have a different work requirement; generally, they or a parent should have worked for a sufficient period to be eligible for benefits. [Read more…] about Are You Eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits?