Behind the Jobless Numbers
It's becoming almost a ritual: waiting for new unemployment numbers and looking for signs that the economy is recovering. Today the state said California's unemployment rate dipped a bit in October, to 11.7 percent. That's down from 11.9 percent in September. For a look behind the numbers, we turn to Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics.
Health Coverage a Challenge for Small Businesses
Many small businesses feel pressure to keep their doors open, in part because they feel an obligation to their workers. We check in with Scott Hauge, president and founder of Small Business California and small business owner Janet Hildreth about what businesses have been doing to keep afloat, and to continue offering health insurance benefits during the recession.
California's Public Plan For Health Insurance
Keeping your health coverage during a recession is tough. No job means no insurance. But part of implementing the Affordable Care Act calls for the creation of state exchanges for health insurance plans that are portable and not tied to work. In California, that exchange will look a lot like the public insurance plan that died in Congress last year.
Down, But Not Out
In the best of times, the stress of everyday life can be too much. But add to that a terrible economy, and it's easy to see how some sink under the pressure. We examine the mental health ramifications of this terrible economy with Dr. Mason Turner, chief of psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco and an assistant director of Regional Mental Health in the Bay Area.
Jobless Find Solace in Support Groups
Losing your job can leave you feeling cut-off from the social network you had with former co-workers. But the unemployed can find a little solace being around others in the same situation.