Job market still faces challenges

America's jobless picture isn't looking good, and local employment agencies are feeling it.

Jeremy Contreras, owner of AJL Staffing Resources LLC in Whittier, said his business is off by about  60 percent.

"There are layoffs everywhere," he said. "Manufacturing companies that ordinarily would be setting up a second shift in February or March aren't doing it."

Contreras said he also has seen a dramatic slowdown in calls for commercial drivers, manufacturing workers and office employees.

"During the last three weeks I know of about five companies that each laid off at least 25 people," he said. "And some of those employees had been there as long as 19 years."

The Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of people continuing to draw unemployment benefits jumped by 122,000 to 3.84 million in late October. It was the highest level since late February 1983 when the country was struggling to recover from a long and painful recession.

And and net job losses for October are expected to be about 200,000 when the government releases its jobs report on Friday.

And now for some more good news, courtesy of the Associated Press  ...

DETROIT - With their employers poised to announce billions more in losses and further job cuts on Friday, it's worry time once again at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. factories across North America.

Both companies are spending billions more than they're making amid the worst economic crisis in decades.