Economy

Massachusetts’ October unemployment rate was 5.3%, marking the third consecutive month of increasing unemployment, according to a Friday report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The disparity between what human service workers employed by community-based providers get paid and what state employees who hold similar job titles and perform similar work earn is getting worse and poses "an insurmountable challenge" to the in-demand industry, the head of the state's largest association of community-based human services organizations told lawmakers Monday.

State Representative David LeBoeuf, who represents the 17th Worcester District, called for an emergency hearing on Saint Vincent Hospital’s bed closure in a letter addressed to Marylou Sudders, secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

After a spike during the summer, the percent of the labor force that is unemployed in the Worcester metropolitan area dipped to 5.4% in September, one of the lowest rates since the beginning of the pandemic.

Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester announced Thursday it will begin offering free entry-level career training programs for individuals who lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a press release from the school.

Massachusetts was the only state in September to see an increase in unemployment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Friday release.

When employers set wages, a lot of factors go into the decision. They ask themselves a variety of questions, including what they can afford, what is industry standard, what’s the market rate for the position, and, in some cases: Is this a living wage?

The striking Saint Vincent Hospital nurses in Worcester will have their unemployment benefits fully discontinued effective the week ending Aug. 7 due to a final decision from the Massachusetts Department of Uninsurance Assistance, according to the hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

In the Worcester metropolitan area, the unemployment rate decreased in August, falling 0.3 percentage points from July to 5.7%, according to a data release Wednesday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In a Tweet on Friday afternoon, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker told Saint Vincent Hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association union to end the strike ongoing at the Worcester healthcare facility since March 8.