Last week’s employment figures from the ONS showed that the number of people in work in the quarter ending January 2010 was 28.86 million. 54,000 people in full time work lost their jobs during that period bringing the employment rate down to its lowest since November 1996.
Long-term unemployment (over 12 months) figures are also now at their highest rate since August 1997.
The CBI does not expect these figures to reverse soon. In fact they have predicted that unemployment will peak in the autumn. They believe the overall economic outlook for the UK will be a slow and sluggish recovery for the rest of this year and the first half of next.
Pre-employment screening firm Powerchex, however, has noticed an increase in employment activity over the last 5 months. Their research shows that the number of job offers made has been steadily increasing although 2009 figures were down by 38% on the previous year.
But one of the firm’s directors, Alexandra Kelly, warned that the lack of opportunities would result in more candidates embellishing their CVs as they get more and more desperate to find a job. It has yet to be seen what impact these new employment trends will have on limited company contractors and umbrella company workers.
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Image: Day 341 – Pull The Wool Over My Eyes by Menage a Moi
