Minnesota
Fact Check: Is Minnesota’s job growth outpacing the nation?
(FOX 9) – Minutes after Minnesota financial growth officers launched September’s jobs information this week — the ultimate numbers earlier than the Nov. 8 election — Gov. Tim Walz was prepared to advertise them.
“NEW: Our state has hit 12 straight months of job progress *and* continues to have one of many lowest unemployment charges within the nation,” Walz stated from his official Twitter account.
Walz’s workplace adopted up the governor’s tweet with a information launch that stated Minnesota’s 2022 job progress “continues to outpace the nationwide fee.”
The financial system is a prime concern on this 12 months’s midterms. Inflation has remained stubbornly close to a 40-year excessive, and Republicans are operating on a message that President Joe Biden and Democrats have mismanaged the financial system. On the similar time, Democratic governors like Walz can level to record-low unemployment charges.
However is Minnesota’s job progress something particular, or does a rising tide within the U.S. labor market raise all boats?
State economies are intently linked to the U.S. as an entire, making it onerous for any governor to have a lot management over the financial system. However that does not cease incumbents from claiming credit score — or opponents from criticizing.
Minnesota’s job progress
Minnesota employers added 4,200 jobs in September whereas the unemployment fee ticked as much as 2%, which is the bottom fee within the U.S. for the fourth straight month.
The personal sector added an estimated 8,500 jobs in September. Schooling providers led the best way with 3,200 new hires. Skilled and enterprise providers added 1,600 jobs, and leisure and hospitality gained 1,400. Authorities misplaced 4,300 jobs. Personal-sector hiring in Minnesota was slower than the U.S. as an entire for the month.
It is true that Minnesota has added jobs for 12 straight months, in response to information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The final time Minnesota recorded a month-to-month loss was September 2021. The state had two months earlier this 12 months — June and August — the place hiring was basically flat.
That will get us to Walz’s declare that Minnesota’s year-to-date job progress is outpacing the nationwide fee. This isn’t the entire story.
Minnesota’s tempo of good points is 2.4% since January, in contrast with 2.2% for the nation. However that is due to sturdy month-to-month progress recorded in the beginning of the 12 months. Minnesota has barely lagged the U.S. extra lately. Since Could, Minnesota employment has grown 0.8%, in contrast with 0.9% for the U.S.
Tight labor market
One motive for that, economists say, is that Minnesota has one of many tightest labor markets within the U.S., with greater than three obtainable jobs for each unemployed employee.
There have been 192,000 job openings in August, down from 226,000 the earlier month, in response to the newest information obtainable from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over that point interval, Minnesota averaged 60,000 unemployed individuals.
“It stays a decent labor market and one we expect is admittedly filled with alternative proper now,” Steve Grove, the state’s financial growth commissioner, advised reporters at a Thursday information convention. “It doesn’t appear plenty of employers are giving up on that want to rent within the mixture.”
In September, Minnesota’s labor pressure participation fee ticked down for the third month in a row, to 68.1%, although it stays far increased than the nationwide common. Labor pressure participation fee is a measure of individuals working or unemployed and on the lookout for work. It would not rely individuals who’ve retired or are staying house with kids.
Inflation continued to outpace common private-sector wage good points in September, although the hole narrowed from earlier months. Wages grew a mean of 5.7% statewide, whereas inflation was 7.4% within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro space — the one native area tracked by the federal authorities.
Minnesota
Minnesota vs Illinois: Who are the projeced starters for both teams?
Minnesota vs Illinois: Who are the projeced starters for both teams?
The Minnesota Golden Gophers will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday afternoon at 11:00 a.m. CT in Champlain. The Gophers are seeking their fourth straight win and their sixth win of the season to officially become bowl eligible.
Illinois on the other hand will look to get back in the win column after suffering their second loss of the season last week to Oregon 38-9. The Illini entered this week ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll.
With that being said, who are the projected starters for the Golden Gophers and Illini on Saturday and are there any injury concerns amongst the starters for both teams?
In terms of offensive injury concerns, Minnesota enters this game healthy, Illinois, however, will be potentially without starting wide receiver Pat Bryant. Bryant left last week’s game against Oregon with a head injury. He’s expected to be a game time decision on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides are rather healthy on the defensive side of the ball entering this week. While not a starter, safety Darius Green would likely be considered questionable at this moment. He was questionable in the Gophers win last week over Maryland and did not appear in the game. The Illini enter this week healthy on defense.
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Minnesota
Blue Cross of Minnesota agrees to legal settlement for better mental health coverage
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has reached a settlement with the state attorney general over concerns the Eagan-based health insurer failed to comply with laws insisting that health plans cover mental health services the same as they cover treatments for physical health problems.
The Minnesota Blues plan denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to a series of new oversight provisions. In addition, the insurer will operate under new mental and behavioral health care rules that call for prompt decisions on prior authorization requests as well as applications by health care providers to join the health insurer’s network.
Blue Cross will be required to pay a $300,000 civil penalty if a court finds the insurer has violated terms of the settlement, which was announced Friday. In addition, Blue Cross is contributing $600,000 to a center for rural behavioral health at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
“Mental and behavioral health care is health care, period,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement. “We expect someone with a broken leg to be able to get the care they need, and the same should be true of Minnesotans struggling with conditions like depression or substance use disorder.”
Blue Cross said in a statement that it shares Ellison’s commitment to ensuring patients have timely access to “high quality and affordable mental health care.”
“Blue Cross has enhanced our practices related to addressing mental health benefits and access to care to ensure we are meeting the high expectations of members and other stakeholders,” the insurer said. “Today, our strategy is focused on transforming all mental health solutions in ways that can set new industry standards for equitable access to optimal care.”
The settlement is the latest in a series of agreements over the past 18 months between the state and Minnesota health insurers for improved coverage of mental health.
The earlier agreements were prompted by alleged violations of mental health parity laws, which have been adopted over the past two decades to improve patient access to mental health and behavioral health treatments.
Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings Week 9 playbook: What to know ahead of Colts matchup
The Vikings have lost back-to-back games after starting 5-0. Now they will turn to Cam Robinson, 29, to help protect quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside after losing standout LT Christian Darrisaw to a torn ACL and MCL. Can they get a win this week against a Colts team that has benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco?
Week 9 vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT (NBC)
Catch up on what you need to know from this week on the Vikings:
• Vikings trade for Jaguars LT Cam Robinson
The Vikings addressed their massive void at left tackle by trading for Jaguars offensive lineman Cam Robinson.
• Vikings not sweating rookie’s quiet start
“I think Dallas (Turner) is going to be just fine. I think everybody wants everything right now, and he does, too. We’ll get him out there.”
• Meet the former Vikings visionary known as the grandfather of NFL analytics
Retired analyst Mike Eayrs was “so far ahead of the curve” that he is credited with popularizing data science in the NFL in the 1980s.
• What Christian Darrisaw’s injury means
Losing their talented left tackle will make it harder for an inconsistent Vikings offense that has already had trouble sustaining drives.
• 📈Power Rankings: Vikings at No. 8
The No. 17 pick in this year’s draft has one sack and three quarterback pressures through seven games.
Coach O’Connell speaks about new LT Cam Robinson pic.twitter.com/hVymPdY6vo
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 30, 2024
Scouting the Colts
• Joe Flacco will be Colts starting QB ‘going forward’
The decision to bench Anthony Richardson and start Joe Flacco at quarterback is not a temporary one, coach Shane Steichen said.
• Anthony Richardson has hard lesson to learn from the bench
Richardson’s time in Indianapolis may not be over, but his path back to being the Colts starting QB will be a big challenge.
• NFL execs debate Colts benching Richardson
“He hasn’t had many live reps in his football career. This season should have been presented as that development and growth across the board.”
• Richardson’s benching goes far beyond his play
“What a fascinating management dilemma to be in,” a former executive from one of the Colts’ division rivals said.
• Colts GM Chris Ballard has failed to live up to bold promises
Technically, Ballard still has personnel control in Indy, but the chances of him fulfilling the promise proclaimed by his owner are dwindling by the day.
How good are the Vikings?
Check out Austin Mock’s 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. The projections are based on 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season, which factors in each team’s projected strength, current health as well as its remaining schedule.
(Photo of Justin Jefferson: Harry How / Getty Images)
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