A survey conducted by the Labor Department found that more women than men have recovered their jobs since the recession, The Wall Street Journal reported. Today, approximately 67.5 million women have jobs, an increase from the previous record-high 67.4 million in early 2008. In contrast, 69 million men have jobs, slightly lower than the 70.9 million peak in mid-2007. A separate survey shows that the unemployment rate for women, at 6.9 percent, is slightly lower than the 7.6 percent rate for men. The trend can be partially explained by the disproportionate effects of the recession on different industries. The recession had the biggest impact on the male-dominated construction and manufacturing sectors, while female-dominated fields such as education, health and hospitality have weathered the effects of the economic downturn relatively well.
Anthem Blue Cross, New Hampshire’s largest health insurance provider, is extending the date for customers to renew individual policies, New Hampshire Public Radio reported. The company announced that current policy holders will have until the end of the month to renew their plans -— a two-week extension from the original Nov. 15 deadline. The New Hampshire Insurance Department said it agrees with Blue Cross’s decision but added that it is still evaluating how to respond to President Barack Obama’s recent decision allowing all canceled plans to be extended through 2014, regardless of whether they meet the Affordable Care Act’s stricter guidelines.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that 108 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in New Hampshire last year, representing a 20 percent increase from 2011, The Concord Monitor reported. National fatalities rose 3.3 percent in 2012, with 33,561 people killed. This increase comes after six years of declining deaths, as 2011 saw the lowest number of fatalities since 1949 with 32,479 killed. In New Hampshire, the proportion of fatalities due to alcohol consumption in 2012 — 29.6 percent of the total — was approximately consistent with 2011 data. Preliminary data from the first half of 2013 shows a 4.2 percent drop in fatalities from the same period last year.