Employment Numbers Don’t Quite Figure

It was almost heartening to read “State Gains 40,600 Jobs in December” [Jan. 24]. However, as I put aside my biweekly unemployment claim form to write this letter, I cannot help but wonder why the same report did not provide any information about the average income and status of these jobs.

How many unemployed Californians have had to accept a major cut in the income they had formerly attained in order to have a job? How many have had to accept part-time offers? And how many others have entered the temporary employment field because permanent offers were not forthcoming?

It may be true that these are “boom times in California,” but a closer inspection of the economy may reveal that the bank accounts that are getting fatter are those belonging to the businesses--not the average workers.

LUCIA M. JAMES

Brentwood