It’s college graduation season and those new grads searching for their first jobs should have some luck. As we reported on Wednesday, job openings are plentiful and wages have gone up. NJ Spotlight News spoke with Andy Challenger from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Meanwhile, economists say there may be signs that the red-hot labor market is cooling. New Jersey-based ADP reports hiring slowed in May. Across the U.S., private companies added just 128,000 new workers, a decline from recent months and a weaker showing than expected. But one economist said on Thursday that the biggest constraint on the labor market is still the shortage of workers. On Friday, the government will offer its monthly report on the job market.
New York is the latest state to put a gas tax holiday in place, suspending its gas tax through the end of the year. In New Jersey, state lawmakers from both main parties have proposed providing relief at the pump, but no measurs have been enacted. New Jersey’s per-gallon gas tax is 42.4 cents.
In Plainfield, the city has decided to settle outstanding water utility bills for some 2,000 residents. The city will pay more than $1 million to New Jersey American Water for those residents who are in arrears. It’s one of a series of relief programs that have been announced since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jersey City has announced the first round of grants from its Arts & Culture Trust Fund, set up after voters approved a referendum in 2020. The city is distributing close to $900,000 to 89 artists and arts organizations. Mayor Steven Fulop says the investment in the arts is an investment in the entire community.
