Scorelogix: Predicting Income Risk

NASWA taps into Scorelogix for Jobs Advice

2008-10-09T12:31:00.001-07:00

National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) brought in Scorelogix, an expert on jobs and employability, as a panel member to its 72nd Annual Conference.

David Watral, Director of Business Development for Scorelogix, the pre-eminent authority on job security in the United States, joined Martha Stevenson, Director, E&T Technical Services, South Carolina Employment Security Commission, and Christopher J. O’Leary, Senior Economist, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, in a panel discussion on Skills Assessment Tools moderated by Thomas S. Whitaker, Deputy Chairman-Chief Deputy Commissioner of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, at the 72nd Annual Conference of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) on September 18th.

Dr. Watral discussed how economy is the driver of jobs and how re-employability prospects are directly related to local economic conditions, demand and supply of talent, and the job-talent match. He also highlighted the challenges faced by the unemployed and how Scorelogix’s latest Re-Employability Score (RES) can help the unemployed find jobs faster. The RES is designed to assist the unemployed job seekers in gauging how saleable their skills and experiences are in the marketplace by providing them with a concrete measurement of their re-employability based on the job seeker’s personal profile and market outlook.

Dr. Watral acknowledged that unemployed job seekers are likely to be financially stressed and may be unable to pay for the RES, and announced that Scorelogix would make the RES available for free to all job seekers visiting any of the NASWA members’ websites. For this Scorelogix will provide free RES links which NASWA members can simply place in their site pages.

The 72nd Annual NASWA Conference took place in South Carolina between Sept 18-23, and featured speakers and panel discussions focused on innovations to meet workforce needs. Bob Simoneau, President of NASWA, noted that the economic crisis will have a “drastic” effect on the number of layoffs experienced in the near term.

As unemployment continues to rise, many more millions of Americans are in search of employment in an economic climate where jobs are getting scarce. Presently, 9.5 million Americans are unemployed and the national unemployment rate stands at a 5-year high of 6.1%. “The RES will help thousands of unemployed job seekers find jobs by giving them an objective snapshot of the demand for their skills in the current employment market” said Dr. Watral.

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Scorelogix Offering Free Re-Employability Score (RES) to Returning Military Personnel

2008-09-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

Delaware Company specializing in predicting employment security is offering free Re-employability Score to all US veterans and military personnel returning from Iraq or Afghanistan in appreciation of their service to the nation.

Scorelogix, the pioneer in job security metrics and analysis, announced today that it is offering free Re-Employability Score (RES) to any US veteran, Reservist or National Guard member returning from Iraq or Afghanistan. “We are excited to offer this valuable tool at no cost to Veterans of the United States Military, in appreciation of their national service” said David Watral, Director of Business Development at Scorelogix.

Dr. Watral recently returned from the 72nd Annual Conference of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies where he was invited as a panel speaker on skills assessment. There he heard Charles Ciccolella, Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary of Veterans Employment and Training, speak about the challenges military personnel face in getting jobs and adjusting to civilian life, and it resonated well with Dr. Watral, who has a military background. Scorelogix had already entered into preliminary discussions with state and private organizations committed to helping veterans but Ciccolella’s presentation convinced him that Scorelogix should do more.

Unemployment among veterans is high and veterans face many hurdles when searching for a job. Dr. Michael Smith, an expert of veteran transition issues, in an interview on Military.com noted “four emergent themes or challenges …most veterans” face including “perceived lack of transferable skills, culture shock, employability, and financial concerns” And since Scorelogix is a leader in job outlook analytics, it realized that it was uniquely positioned to help veterans by helping them find jobs faster through by offering RES at no cost.

Scorelogix’s RES, which is based on a patent-pending statistical model, will greatly help returning military personnel in finding jobs by providing them a scientific analysis of their re-employability prospects based on their personal profiles and existing job markets. The RES also provides concrete recommendations on how to improve their chances of finding a job faster. “By offering our service through military-oriented job sites and other similar sites, we are helping those who have done so much for our country, besides it also helps Scorelogix gain visibility” says Dr. Watral. Non-veterans can also benefit from RES and can purchase their personal RES score and report for $19.95 for the Scorelogix website.

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Scorelogix Unveils New & Improved Re-employability Score

2008-09-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Scorelogix Unveils New & Improved Re-employability Score
The updated Re-employability Score is more user-friendly, offers more data and insights, and provides more in-depth advice and recommendations to the unemployed on how to improve their re-employment prospects.

Scorelogix, a Delaware based research and analytics company and an expert in job outlook forecasting, has updated its innovative Re-employability Score, popularly called the RES. The Re-employability Score is a measure of a person’s re-employment prospects in the next 12 months and it predicts how quickly an unemployed person is likely to become employed.

As unemployment continues to rise, many more millions of Americans are in search of employment in an economic climate where jobs are getting scarce. Presently, 9.5 million Americans are unemployed and the national unemployment rate stands at a 5-year high of 6.1%. The RES helps the unemployed find jobs by offering an objective snapshot of the demand for an individual’s skills in the current employment market.

“Finding a job is all about looking in the right place at the right time, and the RES gives job seekers just that kind of edge” says Suresh Annappindi, CEO of Scorelogix. For most individuals, the five most important factors affecting re-employability are location, occupation, educational background, age, and industry, and these are thoroughly analyzed in the Scorelogix RES score and report.

Like the older version, the new Re-employability Score (RES) uses Scorelogix’s patent-pending forecasting model to predict re-employment prospects for any unemployed individual based on his or her personal profile, economic data, and Scorelogix’s market outlook data. The RES rates an individual’s re-employment prospects on a scale from 0-500. A higher RES score indicates better re-employment prospects. The new RES is designed to offer users more easy-to-use data and charts, and it includes recommendations and actionable advice in a user friendly report format.

The personal RES score and report also shows how the individual ranks relative to other unemployed people. On average an unemployed person will remain unemployed for 17.5 weeks and 20% of all unemployed are unable to find jobs for over 6 months. However, by carefully targeting locations and industries which have better job markets, individuals can dramatically improve their job prospects, and that is where RES helps. The RES report offers exhaustive “what-if” RES scores for different locations, industries, occupations, etc, allowing the individual to develop a more effective job search strategy.

Media Contact:
Bill Dougherty
bill.dougherty@scorelogix.com
302 328 1210

Nationwide JSI Continues Downward Trend

2008-09-17T11:26:00.007-07:00

Nationwide Job Security Index Continues Downward Trend

3.3% Decline is Eighth Drop in Nine Months

The Scorelogix® Job Security Index™, a predictor of job security throughout the United State, declined 3.3% in August, the fourth such consecutive drop. These declines were widespread, affecting all nine US census regions, with more than 90% of all Occupational Categories tracked by Scorelogix recording negative growth.

Only two Occupational Categories managed to record positive growth in August. Construction and Extraction, as well as Installation, Maintenance, & Repair both increased in job security, 8.2% and 1.1% respectively.

Top Occupational Categories by Job Security Growth in August 2008 Occupational categories with the largest month-to-month increase in job security are listed

OCCUPATIONS	Aug-08	Jul-08	Jun-08	May-08	Apr-08	Mar-08	Aug-07
Construction and Extraction	64.3	59.4	46.5	29.1	4.5	-2.7	17.0
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair	147.8	145.4	157.2	164.4	170.7	166.8	167.6
Management	195.0	197.3	198.1	198.7	203.7	202.8	202.7
Architecture and Engineering	193.9	196.3	197.1	197.7	202.8	201.9	201.8
Healthcare Support	149.6	152.3	156.3	159.9	161.2	153.6	151.3

Meanwhile, of the top five Industries by Job Security in August 2008, only mining experienced job security growth. Real Estate, Public Administration, Educational Services, and Health Care all maintained their positions in the top five Industries, but each also scored lower than in July. Real Estate declined by 2.9%, Public Administration by 1.6%, and Educational Services and Health Care each by 4.6%.

Top Industries by Job Security Growth in August 2008

Industries with the largest month-to-month increase in job security are listed below.

INDUSTRIES	Aug-08	Jul-08	Jun-08	May-08	Apr-08	Mar-08	Aug-07
Mining	199.9	192.9	172.0	170.6	170.7	174.2	182.3
Construction	77.2	74.6	62.3	41.2	11.6	7.8	24.0
Information	154.9	151.5	144.3	143.2	145.3	137.7	135.3
Administrative & Support, Waste Management & Remediation Services	22.0	21.6	28.0	43.6	55.1	37.0	23.8
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	86.8	86.3	98.9	66.0	32.5	2.0	42.8

Mining’s 3.6% JSI expansion propels it to the top of the list in August for overall growth in JSI. Waste Management & Administration made the list with 1.8% growth, though its JSI score of 22 is dismal, and marks the first positive growth in the industry since April 2008. Since April, the Waste Management JSI has dropped by 61%, so the 1.8% gains registered in August do little to appease long term concerns.

Overall, the consistent decline in the National JSI indicates that the economy has yet to recover from the recent market turmoil, and that, in the short term, things will most likely be getting worse instead of better.

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, please email Scorelogix

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Finance & Insurance JSI Slides 4.3% in August

2008-09-17T11:26:00.005-07:00

Finance and Insurance JSI Slides 4.3% in August

JSI has Dropped Seven Times in Nine Months, 11.3% Since November

The Scorelogix® Finance and Insurance Job Security Index™, a predictor of job security in a key sector of the economy, slid to 156.5 in August, marking a 4.3% decline, and the eighth decrease in thirteen months. In this thirteen month period, the Finance JSI has decreased by 6.3%, and 11.3% from its peak in November 2007. The most recent drop of 4.3% marks the steepest one month drop over this time period. Coupled with continued market turmoil, this sharp decline is indicative of future difficulties in this sector.

The fluctuations in Finance JSI align loosely with fluctuations in the National JSI, and for this reason, despite recent negative growth in the sector, Finance & Insurance remains much more secure than the overall jobs market. While the JSI for the sector has registered marked declines over recent months, the declines in the National JSI are even starker. For this reason, even in its decline, Finance and Insurance have grown even more secure than the overall jobs market.

Despite recent bank failures and bankruptcies, the sector as a whole remains strong and solvent, because even in a down time, jobs in the finance and insurance sector are necessary to maintain the flow of the overall economy. For this reason, it is unlikely that this sector will ever fall so far as to register below the National JSI. The growing disparity during this difficult time supports this assertion. This is an interesting juxtaposition, because it can almost be said that the difficulties in the financial markets has a greater affect on the National JSI than on the Finance JSI.

All of the US census regions posted lower Finance and Insurance job security levels in August than in July. The Pacific Region and the East North Central Region had the largest drops in JSI, losing 8.7 and 7.8 points, respectively.

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, please email Scorelogix

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Information Technology JSI Continues Recovery

2008-09-17T11:26:00.004-07:00

Information Technology Job Security Index Continues Recovery

2.2% Growth in JSI for August

The Scorelogix® Information Technology Job Security Index™ rose by 2.2% in August, capping six months of general growth in this sector. Information Technology, which is considered more secure than the overall jobs market, had plummeted between December 2007 and February 2008. The IT JSI has steadily grown since this time, slowly working its way back to its pre-crash levels. It has regained 67.5% of what was lost between December and February.

Since dipping below the National JSI at its nadir in February 2008, the Information Technology JSI has skyrocketed past the National score. This is due to the fact that while IT has recovered over the past six months, National job security has dropped 12.1%. The opposing trajectories have cleaved a 35 point disparity between the two scores.

All nine US census regions posted higher IT job security levels in August than in July. The regions which experienced the largest increase in IT job security were the West South Central and the Mountain regions, increasing by 3.3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively. The East North Central region recorded the smallest increase in job security at less than 1 percent.

Scorelogix® Manufacturing Job Security Index™ Decreased 2.6% in August 2008

2008-09-17T11:26:00.003-07:00

Scorelogix^® Manufacturing Job Security Index^™ Decreased 2.6% in August 2008

The ScoreLogix® Manufacturing Job Security Index™ decreased by 2.6 percent in August, marking 11 months of decline in the past 13 months. Since August of 2007, the Manufacturing Job Security Index has fallen by more than 37 points, a reduction of 23.5 percent.

All of the US census regions posted lower Manufacturing job security levels in August than in July. The regions which experienced the largest decrease in Manufacturing job security were the East South Central and East North Central regions at 4.5 and 4.1 percent, respectively. The West South Central region recorded the mildest decrease in job security at 1.6 percent.

The downward trend in Manufacturing job security continues, as does the downward trend in the National JSI. Manufacturing remains stronger than average job security across all sectors, in part because a weak dollar promotes increased manufacturing exports, and also because manufacturing remains a key component to the success of many other sectors, and in many ways, continues to serve as the foundation upon which other industries are built.

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, please visit www.scorelogix.com or email Bill Dougherty @ bill.dougherty@scorelogix.com.

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Retail & Wholesale Job Security Continues Decline

2008-09-17T11:26:00.002-07:00

Retail and Wholesale Job Security Continues Decline

23% Drop, Over Four Month Period

The Scorelogix® Retail and Wholesale Job Security Index™ fell by 5.9% in August, the fourth consecutive month of decline. The index has fallen eight times in the past thirteen months, and has closely mimicked the National JSI. The credit crisis, weakening economy, and an overall decrease in disposable income affect these two indices similarly, attributing to the correspondence.

All nine of the US census regions posted lower Retail and Wholesale job security levels in August than in July. The regions which experienced the largest decline in Retail and Wholesale job security were the East North Central (7.3%) and Pacific regions (7.1%). The West South Central and Mountain regions recorded the smallest decrease in Retail and Wholesale job security at 4.9 percent.

The significant decline in solvency for jobs in the Wholesale & Retail sector is directly related to the current fiscal meltdown. As banks tighten their lending, or close their doors, less money is available at higher rates, to businesses and individuals alike. Businesses lack the capacity for growth, and individuals lack the ability to spend freely. Coupled with inflation and declining house prices, there is just less capital available for spending in Wholesale & Retail. This inevitably leads to instability in job security, across the nation, and specifically, in the Wholesale & Retail sector. Stabilization of the credit markets and fortification of the broader economy are integral to job security recovery. Until such stabilization occurs, one can expect the National JSI as well as the Wholesale & Retail JSI ton continue its precipitous drop.

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, please email Bill Dougherty @ bill.dougherty@scorelogix.com

Healthcare & Social Services JSI Drops

2008-09-17T11:26:00.001-07:00

Fourth Straight Month:

Health Care & Social Services Job Security Drops

14.6% Decline Since December 2007

The Scorelogix® Health Care & Social Services Job Security Index™, a predictor of job security in a key sector of the economy, fell 4.5% in August, the steepest drop in over a year. This marks the seventh time in thirteen months that the Index has fallen. Job Security in Health Care and Social Services has become significantly less secure since December 2007, when measured at 186.7. Since December, the JSI has dropped by 14.6%.

Top 10 States by Health Care and Social Services Job Security in August 2008

The Scorelogix^® Health Care and Social Services Job Security Index™ found workers in the following states enjoying the lowest risk of job loss (i.e. having the highest job security) in August. South Dakota and Wyoming now lead the nation in overall and Health Care and Social Services job security.

1	South Dakota	242.1
2	Wyoming	236.8
3	North Dakota	227.9
4	Utah	223.5
5	Nebraska	223.4
6	Idaho	222.7
7	Montana	216.0
8	New Hampshire	213.8
9	Iowa	213.6
10	Oklahoma	209.7

Bottom 10 States by Health Care and Social Services Job Security in August 2008

Workers in the following states are experiencing the greatest job-loss risk (i.e. having lowest job security). Michigan is by far the weakest State for job security, almost 22 points below any other State.

1	Michigan	75.6
2	Mississippi	97.5
3	Rhode Island	105.9
4	California	119.8
5	Illinois	123.1
6	District Of Columbia	129.0
7	Ohio	130.7
8	Tennessee	133.4
9	South Carolina	134.9
10	Kentucky	137.3

The decrease in job security in Health Care and Social Services has occurred across all nine of the US census regions. The East North Central region recorded the sharpest decrease of 6.1 percent in job security, compared to the national average decrease of 3.3 percent.

It remains true that despite the decline in job security in the Health & Social Services sector, the sector as a whole remains stronger than National job security, and most other sectors. This can be attributed to the great need for health care and social services no matter what the economic outlook reflects.

Construction JSI Increases by 3.6% in August

2008-09-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Scorelogix^® Construction Job Security Index^™ Increases

by 3.6% in August 2008

Fifth Straight Month of Growth in Industry

The Scorelogix® Construction Job Security Index™, a predictor of job security in a key sector of the economy, rose 3.6% in July, to 77.2. This marks the fifth consecutive month of growth in Construction. Job Security in Construction had become significantly less secure after December 2007, when a four month, 110.3 point, 93.4% decline began. Recovery since March 2008 has been steady, but slow. Further, the 3.6% growth in August marks the slowest rate of growth since recovery began in April 2008.

The strongest individual States for job security in Construction are South Dakota and Wyoming. Michigan is the weakest State for job security, with Mississippi and Rhode Island recording low scores as well.

Top 10 States by Construction Job Security in August 2008

1	South Dakota	117.2
2	Wyoming	114.6
3	North Dakota	110.3
4	Utah	108.2
5	Nebraska	108.1
6	Idaho	107.8
7	Montana	104.5
8	New Hampshire	103.5
9	Iowa	103.4
10	Oklahoma	101.5

Bottom 10 States by Construction Job Security in August 2008

1	Michigan	36.6
2	Mississippi	47.2
3	Rhode Island	51.2
4	California	58.0
5	Illinois	59.6
6	District Of Columbia	62.4
7	Ohio	63.2
8	Tennessee	64.6
9	South Carolina	65.3
10	Kentucky	66.4

The increase in job security in Construction has occurred across all nine of the US census regions.

The West South Central and Mountain Regions recorded the sharpest increase of 4.6 percent in job security. At 1.97% growth, the East North Central Region registered the slowest rate of growth in job security.

The 3.6% growth in overall Construction job security inversely reflects the 3.3% decline in the National JSI. This juxtaposition brings the Construction JSI closer to the National JSI, though they are still separated by a 42.7 point margin.

The nominal increase in job security in Construction is attributable to a slowdown in seasonal labor needs, and may indicate that the summer recovery in Construction job security is coming to an end.

IT Job Security Improvement Continues

2008-09-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

Information Technology Job Security Index Continues Rise

7.2% Growth in JSI for July Bucks National Trend

The Scorelogix® Information Technology Job Security Index™ rose by 7.2% in July, capping five months of general growth in this sector. Information Technology, which is considered more secure than the overall jobs market, had dropped significantly from July 2007 through February 2008, when a recovery began. It still remains far below its July 2007 level.

At the height of this decline, in February, the IT JSI dipped below the National JSI for the first time. This coincided with a decisive, 30 point drop in IT job security from December 2007 to February 2008. This drop coincided with the intensification of economic turmoil in the United States including the credit and banking crises, high inflation, rising energy costs, and a dwindling of disposable income.

Since February, Job Security in IT has jumped 11.97%, and fully regained its edge in comparison to the National score, which has been in decline since April. Despite continued economic woes, IT jobs have become more secure, due in large part the high level of integration of this occupational sector with industry, government, and the private sector. In a non-volatile economy, IT may be expected to play a significant role in

future economic growth.

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Update: Construction Job Security Continues Recovery

2008-08-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/26/2008

Construction Job Security Index Continues Arduous Recovery
After Seven Month Decline of 93%, Construction sees Four Months of Growth

The Scorelogix® Construction Job Security Index™, a predictor of job security in a key sector of the economy, rose to 74.6 in July, marking a 19.7% increase, and the fourth increase in as many months. This comes as a welcome development following the catastrophic decline of the JSI in the preceding seven months, dating to November 2007. The initial decline coincided directly with growing turmoil in the credit markets, and increasing foreclosures in housing. As the full scope of the issue comes into focus, a steadily increasing Construction JSI is a promising indicator that these markets have weathered the storm, and that American jobs in the Construction Industry have become much more secure.

The increase in job security in Construction has occurred across all nine of the US census regions. The West South Central region recorded the largest increase of 21.6 percent in job security compared to the regional average increase of 19.8 percent.

The strongest individual States for Construction job security include South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, and Nebraska. Michigan is by far the weakest State for Construction job security, with Mississippi, Rhode Island, Alaska, and California all struggling in this regard as well.

Since March 2008, the Construction JSI has experienced a meteoric 850% rise. This is heavily tempered by the fact that, at that time, the JSI had fallen to a dismal score of 7.8, after a seven month pounding that saw it drop from a high score of 128.2. Currently, at 74.6, the Construction JSI lags well behind the National JSI, and is still a long way from recovering to its July 2007 number. Even so, job security in Construction is much stronger today than in the preceding months, and is an indicator that builders and contractors are regaining a sense of confidence, and that the market may eventually move beyond the current turmoil.

Top 10 States: JSI

1	South Dakota	109.0
2	Wyoming	106.3
3	Utah	102.2
4	Nebraska	101.9
5	Idaho	101.4
6	North Dakota	100.8
7	Iowa	96.0
8	Oklahoma	95.7
9	New Hampshire	93.9
10	Hawaii	93.6

Bottom 10 States: JSI

1	Michigan	37.7
2	Mississippi	51.3
3	Rhode Island	52.2
4	Alaska	56.0
5	California	58.1
6	Illinois	59.6
7	District Of Columbia	61.3
8	Ohio	63.1
9	Tennessee	63.4
10	Kentucky	63.5

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, email Bill Dougherty @

bill.dougherty@scorelogix.com

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Scorelogix Update: Manufacturing JSI Declines 2.7% in July 2008

2008-08-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/22/2008

Manufacturing Job Security Struggles Continue in July

7.2% Decline Since April 2008 Signals

The Scorelogix® Job Security Index™ for the Manufacturing sector fell by 2.7 percent in July, marking the third month in a row that Manufacturing job security has decreased. Since July 2007, the Manufacturing Job Security Index™ has fallen ten times, and has experienced an 18.7 % decline. Many factors contribute to this decline. It is attributable to the weakness in the housing market, and the subsequent cessation of new home building. It is affected by rising fuel costs and high inflation, which increase operating costs and squeeze employers into taking broad cost cutting measures. Additionally, the continuing failure of American car manufacturers to compete in the global market has created a dearth in the demand for auto related manufacturing goods. All of this, and the generally weak US economy, fosters an atmosphere where job insecurity in Manufacturing is rising.

mf1.bmp (image)

The decline in job security in Manufacturing has occurred across all nine of the US census regions. The regions which experienced the largest drop were the East North Central and Pacific regions. The West South Central and Mountain regions recorded the smallest decrease in Manufacturing job security at 1.7 percent.

The strongest individual States for Manufacturing job security include South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, and Nebraska. Michigan is by far the weakest State for Manufacturing job security, with Mississippi, Rhode Island, Alaska, and California all struggling in this regard as well.

Top 10 States: JSI

1	South Dakota	193.6
2	Wyoming	188.8
3	Utah	181.5
4	Nebraska	180.9
5	Idaho	180.1
6	North Dakota	178.9
7	Iowa	170.4
8	Oklahoma	169.9
9	New Hampshire	166.7
10	Hawaii	166.1

Bottom 10 States: JSI

1	Michigan	66.9
2	Mississippi	91.1
3	Rhode Island	92.6
4	Alaska	99.4
5	California	103.2
6	Illinois	105.9
7	District Of Columbia	108.9
8	Ohio	112.0
9	Tennessee	112.5
10	Kentucky	112.8

The downward trend in Manufacturing job security continues. Still, it manages, at 132.4, to hover slightly above the National Job Security Score, which in July rated 124.0. This overall greater strength in the Manufacturing industry, comparative to the rest of the country, can be attributed to the fact that a weak dollar promotes increased manufacturing exports. Also, domestically, Manufacturing remains a key component to the success of many other sectors, and in many ways, continues to serve as the foundation upon which other industries are built.

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, please visit www.scorelogix.com or email Bill Dougherty @

bill.dougherty@scorelogix.com

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Retail and Wholesale Job Security Index Plummets

2008-08-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/14/2008

Retail and Wholesale Job Security Index Plummets

Three Month Decline Capped by 9.9% Drop in July

The Scorelogix® Retail and Wholesale Job Security Index™ fell by 9.9 percent in July, marking the third month in a row that Retail and Wholesale job security has decreased. In the last thirteen months, the Retail and Wholesale Job Security Index™ has fallen eight times. This decline can be attributed to significant decrease in consumer disposable income, rising inflation, credit crisis and a weakening economy.

The decline in job security in Retail and Wholesale has occurred across all nine of the US census regions. The regions which experienced the largest drop were the East North Central and Pacific regions. The West South Central region recorded the smallest decrease in Retail and Wholesale job security at 8.4 percent.

The strongest individual States for Retail and Wholesale job security include South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, and Nebraska. Michigan is by far the weakest State for Retail and Wholesale job security, with Mississippi, Rhode Island, Alaska, and California all struggling in this regard as well.

Since April 2008, the Retail and Wholesale JSI has suffered an incredible 18.4% drop, signifying a continued lack of consumer confidence and resources. This is by far the largest decline over a three month period in the past year, and the July drop of 9.9% is the biggest single month decline in that time period as well. A crucial component to the reversal of these trends will be a stabilized economy and credit market, as these are intricately connected to individuals’ ability to spend money in Retail and Wholesale.

To obtain further information about Scorelogix’s Job Security Index, or to receive a more in depth analysis of the data provided above, please visit www.scorelogix.com or email Bill Dougherty @ bill.dougherty@scorelogix.com

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Scorelogix Featured on WHYY Television

2008-08-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/14/2008

PBS Affiliate Highlights Importance of Job Security Score

On June17, 2008, Scorelogix, the experts in measuring job security, were featured in a business profile on WHYY TV’s Delaware Tonight. The presentation focused on the importance of understanding how secure one’s job is, and the benefits that can be derived from receiving a Job Security Score (JSS) from Scorelogix.

Scorelogix CEO Suresh Annappindi, MBA., and Director of Business Development, David Watral, Ph.D. explained their views on the current employment landscape and how the JSS may be used by any individual making significant job and financial decisions.

Additionally, independent employment expert, University of Delaware Professor Ed Ratledge, noted the need for such services.

As unemployment rises, hours are cut, and wages are frozen throughout the country, it is more important than ever that individuals be equipped to understand as much about their future employment outlook as possible. To that end, Scorelogix offers the JSS free of charge on their website (www.scorelogix.com), while offering a comprehensive assessment of one’s personal results for $19.95.

The entire WHYY profile is available from the News and Events section of the Scorelogix website at http://www.scorelogix.com/bs_press_release.asp.

Scorelogix: Construction Jobs Outlook Offers Bright Spot Amid Dreary Economic Forecast

2008-08-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Construction JSI Offers Hope that Housing Crisis is Stabilizing

When the housing bubble burst in the Autumn of 2007, the effects were widespread, and continue to be felt, across a broad swath of industry. For obvious reason, the most affected were finance and construction.

Layoffs in construction began immediately. After years of unhinged growth, with suburban housing developments popping up, and huge new shopping centers following right behind, the construction the need for construction workers seemed insatiable. When housing crashed, new home building dried up quickly, leaving a huge number of construction workers with little job security, or completely out of work.

Blame for the foreclosures that brought about the crash in construction employment and housing prices can be laid at the feet of two groups: buyers and lenders. Buyers jumped at loans that were simply too far out of their price range, intoxicated on the idea that housing prices would rise, ad infinitum, and their debts would become windfalls.

This brazen attitude was stoked by an out-of-control lending industry, which saw the exponential growth in housing as an opportunity to turn a quick dollar. And turn them they did, securing outlandish loans for customers, who at times were not even required to prove their income. Lenders seemed immune to any negative outcomes and the immunity seemed to quickly spread to buyers. With visible end to the rise in house prices loans were quickly bundled and sold off to third party investors, the massive failure of bad loans has resulted in bank failures and economic belt tightening not seen since the 1980’s Savings and Loan debacle.

As the United States economy moves forward, attempting to recover from this unbridled lending spree, it is going to take the financial industry a good deal of time to recover. Job Security in these sectors therefore continues to drop. Despite a slight jump in JSI between May and June 2008, the general outlook for the financial sector remains grim.

In a sea of negative financial forecasts and reports, one positive measurement is the JSI for Construction. As shown in the first chart, above, the drop in Construction JSI was swift and striking, dropping over 100 points in just six months.

But job security in the construction industry may be improving. Construction JSI over the past four months is cause for some optimism. The JSI for construction, a measure of likely improvement in the construction industry over the next 8 to 12 months, has regained ground and may be picking up momentum. The biggest limit to this projected improvement is likely mirrored in the JSI for the Financial and Insurance industries. While dropping much less precipitously than JSI for construction, Finance and Insurance job security is predicted to continue in a significant decline. Layoffs and closings are likely to continue, according to JSI projections as banks struggle to maintain solvency

Still, when comparing the two charts, as shown below, construction job security took a much larger hit than job security in Finance and Insurance. But as the construction workforce begins to grow again it will have to contend with a tighter and, in terms of number of jobs, smaller financial and insurance workforce.

2008-08-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/4/2008

Employment Instability may affect November Election

Job Security in Swing States May Be Deciding Factor for Voters

Scorelogix, a firm specializing in job security analysis, reports a continuation of the downward slide in National Job Security that began in November 2007. After a slight surge between March and April of this year, when national unemployment prospects seemed to brighten, the company reports a precipitous drop in the past two months.

The variability of this drop can be seen by examining two states projected to play pivotal roles in the upcoming presidential election. They are Florida and Ohio. Nationally, the company’s prediction of future employment, based on the Job Security Index™ or JSI, dropped by 7 points in June. The Florida drop was identical, while in Ohio, the JSI saw an 8 point drop.

Before November 2007, the nation’s Job Security prospects were steady, even rising. Since that time, a slow and steady drop has occurred, predicting a dimming employment outlook over the next twelve months. Ohio and Florida, relative to the nation, tell very interesting, very different stories.

In the past year, the Job Security trend in Ohio has been virtually identical to the national trend. As the national Job Security Index increased between June and November, Ohio’s index rose at a pace slightly better than the nation as a whole. In November, as the nation’s predicted job security dimmed, Ohio too began to experience an overall drop.

This does not tell the entire story, however. While the Ohio trajectory parallels the nation’s as a whole, the state’s numbers are significantly lower. The national Job Security Index ™, or JSI in July 2007 stood at 145.3. Ohio’s index, on the other hand, stood at at 125.6, a full twenty points lower than the national average. So while the trajectories have matched, Ohio’s remains a good deal lower than most of the country. Both the national JSI & Ohio’s JSI have dropped by approximately 15 points since November 2007. Ohio’s JSI, initially much lower than the nation’s, remains that much lower today. By way of comparison, Ohio’s highest recent JSI, 133 in November 2007, is only two points above the national low of 131.1 recorded in June of this year. Ohio’s lowest score, also recorded in the most recent data, is 114.8, a full 16.4 points lower than the national average.

Florida’s JSI pattern is different but no less worrisome. In July of 2007, Florida enjoyed a JSI of over 155, surpassed by only a handful of other states. But even as the nation’s index rose in the middle of last year, Florida began a slow decline that has picked up speed. Florida’s numbers dropped initially, and then remained steady through the end of last year into March 2008. Since March, however, Florida has seen a significant drop in Job Security. In the past four months, Florida’s JSI has dropped by over 15 points, losses that took nine months to accrue in Ohio and across the country. Since July 2007, Florida’s JSI has dropped over 23 points, leaving it just one point above the national average.

Worsening job security has accelerated in Florida over the past twelve months. Elsewhere in the country, as in Ohio, drops in Job Security have been troublesome, but not nearly as severe. While Florida’s JSI remains better than the nation or in Ohio, a continued acceleration into the next quarter and beyond could spell real trouble for the state.

These projections, at 85% accuracy, are evidence that the workforce in both of these critical states could be significantly more hard pressed than elsewhere in the country. The experts at Scorelogix therefore believe that predicted unemployment will play a major role in the November election outcome in each state.