The Biz Buzz

The News Tribune Business Team will keep you updated on what's happening in the South Sound and beyond. Check here for news about economic development, aerospace, shopping and much more.

Talk to us
Got something to say? Here's the place to say it. We welcome your comments on what's going on in business in the South Sound that we should be discussing, reporting or analyzing here on our blog or in the pages of The News Tribune.

Contributors

Marce Edwards is the business editor. She has been at The News Tribune for seven years and has written about technology and big businesses in the South Sound including Weyerhaeuser and Russell. Before moving to Tacoma, she worked at The Idaho Statesman in Boise. She is a Northwest native who likes to garden and refuses to use an umbrella. She lives in Tacoma with her husband and two kids.

C.R. Roberts is a Tacoma native. Before joining The News Tribune, he worked as a freelance writer and part-time cowhand on a cattle ranch in Northern Idaho. He writes about small business, personal finance and other business issues.

John Gillie writes about the aerospace and airline industries, commercial development and consumer issues. During his 30-year-tenure at The News Tribune he has covered issues as diverse as the Native American fishing rights disputes, crime and the courts, the wood products industry and energy. He lived in Tacoma with his family for 25 years, but now lives in Kent because his wife heads a five-state non-profit foundation headquartered in Ballard, and it only seemed a sensible compromise to make considering their workplaces are 40 miles apart.

Kelly Kearsley has been a business reporter at The News Tribune since 2005. She covers the Port of Tacoma and international trade. Being born and raised in Spokane she’s used to living in cities with inferiority complexes and, in fact, prefers it. Prior to working at The News Tribune, she spent three years as a reporter for The Bulletin in Bend, Oregon and another year working stints for The Associated Press and Seattle Times. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University. She lives in Tacoma with her husband and miniature schnauzer.

Calendar
November 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
 << <   > >>
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30          
Archives
XML Feeds
What is RSS?
Misc
Who's Online?
  • artman77 Email
  • CustomScoop Email
  • Guest Users: 435
Get the most up-to-date news, insights and analysis of Tacoma, Pierce County and South Puget Sound business.
Thursday, June 12th, 2008
Posted by John Gillie @ 05:43:58 pm

Average wages in Washington increased 5 percent from 2006 to 2007, new figures from the state's Employment Security Department show.

That good news for wage earners is also good news for those Washington residents unfortunate enough to be unemployed.

The boost in average wages will change weekly maximum and minimum unemployment benefits in Washington, which are based on average weekly wages.

Beginning July 1, the maximum weekly unemployment benefit will rise from $515 to $541. The minimum weekly unemployment check will increase to $129 from $122.

Only the maximum and minimum benefits will change. Those receiving amounts between those two extremes will continue to receive the same amount.

The increase in unemployment compensation will mean higher unemployment taxes for employers. Beginning in 2009, employers will pay unemployment taxes on the first $35,700 paid to each employee, the Employment Security Department said. That's up from the first $34,000.

Categories: General, Labor