Unemployment | ISSUE

Graphic shows change in weekly jobless claims;.

Dan Wynkoop searches for a job at WorkSource Oregon, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in Tualatin, Ore. Unemployment in Oregon fell slightly in February to 10.5 percent. The Oregon Employment Department figures show the jobless rate was 0.2 percent lower than in January. The rate has been essentially unchanged for several months.

Marshall Chicha searches for a job at WorkSource Oregon, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in Tualatin, Ore. Unemployment in Oregon fell slightly in February to 10.5 percent. The Oregon Employment Department figures show the jobless rate was 0.2 percent lower than in January. The rate has been essentially unchanged for several months.

Marshall Chicha searches for employment at WorkSource Oregon, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in Tualatin, Ore. Unemployment in Oregon fell slightly in February to 10.5 percent. The Oregon Employment Department figures show the jobless rate was 0.2 percent lower than in January. The rate has been essentially unchanged for several months.

Jeremiah Kraush searches for a job at WorkSource Oregon, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in Tualatin, Ore. Unemployment in Oregon fell slightly in February to 10.5 percent. The Oregon Employment Department figures show the jobless rate was 0.2 percent lower than in January. The rate has been essentially unchanged for several months.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou left talks with secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Angel Gurria during a meeting in Athens, on Monday, March 15, 2010. A wave of new tax hikes hit Greece on Monday, raising the cost of consumer goods despite recession and high unemployment, as European Union finance ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the country's debt crisis.

Secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Angel Gurria talks with Greek premier George Papandreou (not seen in the picture) during a meeting in Athens, on Monday, March 15, 2010. A wave of new tax hikes hit Greece on Monday, raising the cost of consumer goods despite recession and high unemployment, as European Union finance ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the country's debt crisis.

In this Wednesday, March 10, 2010 photo, a person looks for work at a job placement center in Menlo Park, Calif. Initial jobless claims have dropped to 457,000 but remained above levels that signal new hiring.

In this Wednesday, March 10, 2010 photo, a person looks for work at a job placement center in Menlo Park, Calif. Initial jobless claims have dropped to 457,000 but remained above levels that signal new hiring.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5, 2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5, 2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5, 2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5,2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece. On the banner reads "Sell Flats".

A building is seen under construction in Madrid Friday Feb. 5,2010. Spain's once-buoyant economy has wracked up six straight quarters of decline since third quarter of 2008 as a boom fueled by real estate construction and consumer spending collapsed. Unemployment now stands at nearly 20 percent. The government's ballooning deficit is an acute source of worry for investors and markets fretting over whether Spain could be in line for a debt crisis like the one in Greece.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 02: Afghan men and boys watch a monkey at the Kabul Zoo February 2, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men walk under Indian and Pakistani movie posters at a local movie theater, that like all movie houses, was closed during the Taliban takeover February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghans shop in a bicycle and motorcycle market February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan men walk under Indian and Pakistani movie posters at a local movie theater, that like all movie houses, was closed during the Taliban takeover February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghans shop in a bicycle and motorcycle market February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 per cent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - FEBRUARY 2: Afghan children spend time at the Kabul Zoo February 02, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite years of foreign involvement and the money being committed to Afghanistan from both private and governmental donors, Afghanistan is still plagued by chronic unemployment and neglected public services. Unemployment in the country of some 25 million people is still 40 percent with more than half the population lives below the poverty line. A man's life expectancy in Afghanistan is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.