employers

It's hard to fathom that something as mundane as weather could affect employment statistics. But it clearly does. And it also has big impact on how much work actually gets done. And beyond the snows of winter, there's distractions like the Super Bowl that keep worker from their duties.

New forecasts show that the worst may be over for the construction industry, which was hit harder by the Great Recession than any other sector, as construction projects slowly resume. Some 27% of construction firms say they plan to add staff this year, while only 20% plan to cut jobs.

Tech layoffs came to just under 47,000 last year, according to employment-services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Better still, during the next 10 years, the sector is forecast to have one of the fastest paces of job creation of any industry.

After increases during 2007 and 2008 in the number of unionized workers, 2010 is following 2009 in showing a big drop. Governments now employ more union labor than the private sector does, but both categories showed declines in 2010. It's a far cry from labor's glory years.

Fresh data show that the number of promotions given to American workers has dwindled, suggesting that even those with jobs are having a tough time getting ahead. Fewer promotions are "a sign of the lingering impacts of the recession," one expert says.

A new survey by job-services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found the number of unemployed seeking work similar to what it found in 2009. Now, though, people are more optimistic that they'll land a job. Challenger agrees, but it notes the path is still long and difficult.

The dawning of 2011 marks a milestone: The first of the nation's 76 million baby boomers turn 65, the traditional retirement age. New polls, however, show that for a range of reasons few boomers of this age are ready to retire. In fact, some don't ever expect to stop working.

Recession-weary workers may finally get some encouraging news: Private-sector annual wages will improve in the coming months, albeit modestly, according to data compiled by BNA, publisher of Daily Labor Report.

With U.S. unemployment at 9.8%, its easy to envy workers in countries where many companies guarantee jobs for life. And while the number of Japanese workers with such guarantees is shrinking, in Germany, it's rising rapidly. Could U.S. companies take a page out of the jobs-for-life handbook?

An increasing number of observers, citing a preponderance of positive data, are optimistic that the stagnant labor market is finally beginning to gain momentum. But the pace is still way too slow for those desperately seeking work.