Best Places to Work contest is under way
Registration for the 2017 Best Places to Work in PA Program is now open. Nominations for the awards are being accepted online at www.bestplacestoworkinpa.com until Friday, June 30, 2017. The program, now in its 18th year, ranks small/mediumsized and large-sized companies from all corners of the commonwealth. To be eligible to participate, companies must meet the following criteria:
• Be a for-profit or non-profit business;
• Be a publicly or privately held business;
• Have a minimum of 15 employees working in Pennsylvania;
• Be in business for at least one year.
After the two-part survey process is complete, each participating company receives the results of their employee engagement and satisfaction survey. Many participants from years past agree the insights from the reports are equally as valuable as making the list. Additionally, companies that make the list improve their visibility and appeal to jobseekers as being a “Best Places to Work in PA” company.
This leaders of this year’s program are:
• Lead Sponsor & Founding Partner: Team Pennsylvania Foundation;
• Founding Partners: The Department of Community & Economic Development and the Central Penn Business Journal;
• Program Partner: The Pennsylvania State Council of SHRM.
State unemployment rate dipped in January
Pennsylvania’s January unemployment rate was down two-tenths of a percentage point from December to 5.2 percent. Over the year, the Pennsylvania unemployment rate declined by one-tenth of a percentage point.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force was down 14,000 over the month to 6.44 million. Resident employment increased by 4,000 while the unemployment count declined by 19,000. January was the fifth consecutive month that posted both an increase in employment and a decrease in unemployment. Total nonfarm jobs were up 15,300 to a record high of 5,931,600 in January. Seven of the 11 supersectors added jobs from December. The largest gain was in construction (+5,900), while the largest drop was in manufacturing (-2,700). Three supersectors – professional & business services, education & health services, and leisure & hospitality – reached record high job levels in January.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 70,300 (+1.2 percent). Seven supersectors added jobs from last January. The largest increase over the past 12 months was in education & health services (+39,500), while the largest decline was in manufacturing (-7,500).
Visit www.workstats.dli. pa.gov for more information.