A few springy steps in Vermont’s plodding recovery?
After shrinking throughout 2015, Vermont’s labor force is growing again. New Vermont Department of Labor numbers show that the labor force grew by 672 in March—the third straight monthly increase. Still, the labor force, which includes employed people and those who are unemployed and actively seeking work, is more than 16,000 workers smaller than it was seven years ago.
More pay, more inequality
Women are paid less than men at all pay levels, but the wage gap is larger for higher-paid workers. Since 2001 women at the bottom of the wage scale have earned on average nearly 10 percent less than men. Women at the top earned 15 percent less.
Lower unemployment
By all measures Vermont’s unemployment rate has been falling. At 3.6 percent for 2015, the official unemployment rate (U-3) is down to pre-recession levels, although the broadest measure of unemployment (U-6) is still higher than it was prior to the recession. The official unemployment rate includes only people actively looking for work. In addition to these job-seekers, U-6 counts people who want work or would like to work more but have not actively sought a job in the previous four weeks.
