Business News in Brief


NATION

In survey, jobless spouses say they have more stress

NEW YORK — Being out of work is stressful. Being married may make those worries weigh even heavier.

Unemployed husbands and wives recently surveyed noted experiencing stress more often than single job-seekers, 81 percent to 51 percent respectively.

The poll of 2,261 U.S. adults, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of employer information Web site Glassdoor.com, also found that more than a third of both employed and unemployed respondents said job stress associated with work or finding work caused physical or emotional symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and high blood pressure.

Employers have hard time hiring for certain positions

NEW YORK — Companies are having a hard time hiring for some positions, despite growing unemployment, said Melanie Holmes, a vice president with staffing company Manpower Inc., which surveyed employers on hard-to-fill jobs.

That’s a result of a combination of factors. Some industries face surging demand. In health care, aging baby boomers are overwhelming the field, while there’s a shortage of qualified nurses to teach nursing students, Holmes said.

In other fields, such as engineering, new “green” energy initiatives are expanding the scope of the industry. At the same time, engineering companies are having a hard time replacing retirees.

The list of positions employers said they had the most difficulty finding someone for included engineers, nurses, skilled trades, teachers, sales representatives, technicians, short-haul drivers, information-technology staff, laborers and machinists.

Associated Press