Stanislaus County supervisors lay off 16 community services workers
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to lay off 16 Community Services Agency workers. The county is cutting services for children and seniors at risk of abuse or neglect to save money. Welfare payouts and payments to in-home care providers and foster parents protected by law would not be affected, but some programs that reduce demand for foster care and nursing homes will be eliminated.
The Community Services Agency’s cost-cutting strategy includes giving up $12.5 million in state and federal social services money because the county can’t afford to put up $3.4 million as its share to secure that funding. “Look at how screwy government funding is,” Supervisor Bill O’Brien said, noting the double-whammy to needy people. The social workers would be laid off in August, but are expected to transfer to positions in job development with salaries entirely paid by state and federal money.
Jobs are being cut across disciplines, and people are looking for any full-time or part-time job they can find.
Modesto-area unemployment rates rise
Stanislaus County’s jobless hit 17.2 percent, just shy of the year-to-date high it reached in March of 17.5 percent, according to date released by the Employment Development Department.Surrounding counties also saw jumps anywhere from just shy of 2 percentage points for Merced to as little as .3 percent in Tuolumne.
California was among 36 states that saw unemployment fall last month, but it remains among the worst-off states for jobs, tying for third-highest unemployment with Nevada and South Carolina. The improvement in California’s overall unemployment rate comes despite the loss of another 10,200 jobs in November, according to a survey of employers. More than 2.2 million Californians were without work in November. The number does not include the nearly 500,000 workers who have taken low-paying or part-time jobs because that’s all they could find, or the 111,000 people who reported having given up looking for work, according to the state. The bureau says California, with the nation’s highest population, also led the U.S. in job losses in the last year, with 617,000 jobs gone.
What can we do about this? How can we bring jobs back? Not just seasonal jobs or stimulus funded jobs, but long term employment? What kind of jobs will give us the most return on our investment?
EMPLOYMENT EMPOWERMENT
- LEARN – Learn about Modesto. What are the city’s resources? What kind of labor force does Modesto have? What do area businesses think would help them thrive? What place-consciousness strategies can we build upon?
- ACT – What can you do about it? What projects and groups are already working for Modesto’s economic future? Are there any projects or goals you find particularly compelling? Tell us about which group you help out by using your own self-described super powers to give a micro-loan to, helping them kickstart Modesto’s economic future.
- IMAGINE – Unleash your creativity and take your chances dodging downsizing giants!
- Ask A Mentor for Help
