Where are the Jobs? ATLANTA (WABE) - In 1894, Congress unanimously approved the Labor Day holiday to acknowledge American workers. But this year, Labor Day is grim for many Americans. 9.6 percent are out of work. WABE's Martha Dalton spoke with U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis about what the federal government is doing to spur job growth in the U.S. and Georgia.

Half of Georgia's job seekers have been out of work for six months or more. Some have stopped looking for work altogether. Secretary Solis says the federal government is committed to retraining those workers to help them re-enter the work force:
"Many people who lost their jobs in the trades, construction, you know electricians, welders, things of that nature, many of those individuals can now be retrained to get into what we call green collar jobs.'"
Ms. Solis says the federal government will foot the bill for green jobs training. She also says they're providing incentives for small and mid-sized businesses to start hiring. Solis says if those businesses hire someone who's been unemployed for more than two months, the fed will chip in:
"For example, two days or a portion of that week, we'll help to keep that employee on the payroll there at the work site, but also help that small business person."
And she agrees with Georgia Labor Commissioner, Michael Thurmond, who says the federal government needs to do more to help those businesses.
"We have to do something as soon as the Congress comes back. We have to bring up the bill: Small Businesses Jobs Act, which will help to increase capital for small businesses. And lending - we need to have more lending available to small businesses."
Secretary Solis says the Labor Department is launching a new website [today] on Labor Day to help out-of-work Americans find jobs. She insists that by visiting myjobsmyfuture.org, workers can find out what skills they need to apply for new jobs. And, she says, the site also lists local training and education providers, as well as current job postings.



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