NPR Lays Off 7% of Staff, Cuts 2 Shows

New York comptroller predicts blow to economy

(NEWSER) - It looks like a lot of Wall Street denizens will be joining the ranks of the unemployed soon, New York’s state comptroller warns in a report released today, predicting that the securities industry will shed nearly 10,000 jobs by the end of 2012. The industry has already cut 4,100 jobs since April, and deeper cuts are likely inevitable, as several companies have announced that they’re cutting costs, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Cartoon creatures tell jobless to cheer up

(NEWSER) - If unemployment figures don’t depress you enough, try this news: Hallmark now has a line of sympathy cards specifically directed at those who’ve lost their jobs, Mediaite reports. One features a dog suggesting that the recipient not “think of it as losing your job.” Instead, “think of it as a time out between stupid bosses.” Another features sad, jobless cartoon animals queued up at the unemployment office. More»

Those with jobs have good odds of keeping them

(AP) - The US labor force has been split into two groups: the relieved and the desperate. Those who have a job are less likely to lose it than at any point in at least 14 years, while those who are unemployed are in trouble: The jobless are staying so for longer periods. Of the 13.9 million Americans the government says were unemployed last month, about 1.8 million had been without work for at least 99 weeks—essentially 2 years. More»

Tax-free provision ended with first stimulus

(NEWSER) - With most states already swinging in the recessionary winds, more bad news—many will have to start paying interest on the money they borrow to pay unemployment benefits. When jobless levels hit the unthinkable, with some states seeing 14%-15%, many had to go cap in hand to the feds to cover the gap, ProPublica reports. Those loans, as part of the original stimulus, were interest-free, but that provision has expired and efforts to put a new one in the tax-cut deal failed. More»

Capital letters, cancer haircuts, and other odd offenses

(NEWSER) - There is no nice way to lose your job, especially during a recession. But, not every "you're fired" is created equal. Here, courtesy of Oddee , are some of the worst—and weirdest—job-loss stories out there:

• Waitress canned for cancer cut: After losing her father to cancer, a Canadian woman raised $2700 by shaving her head for the cause. Her employer wasn't moved by her new bald look and she, sadly, was sacked.