How are you coping with unemployment in St. Louis? - Public Insight Network | St. Louis Beacon and the Nine Network of Public Media

How are you coping with unemployment in St. Louis?

According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve , 73,500 jobs were lost in the St. Louis area between February 2008 and June 2010. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported that in November the nation's unemployment rate edged up from 9.6 to 9.8 percent, a seven-month high.

With this elevated unemployment rate and many people out of work for 6 months or longer, the holidays won't look so merry as their struggles mount, both financially and emotionally.

National Public Radio (NPR) in partnership with the Public Insight Network is planning to explore the affects of unemployment in St. Louis with a yearlong series on job loss. Please give our reporting a helping hand and tell us: How are you coping with unemployment in St. Louis?

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E-mail *

First Name *

Last Name *

Street Address

City *

State or Province *

Postal Code *

Country

Phone *

Please select the option(s) that best describe your current status. Check all that apply.

I am currently looking for work.
I have been out of work for 6 months or less.
I have been out of work for 6 to 12 months.
I have been out of work for a year or longer.
I have a friend or relative who is unemployed.
Other

If you chose "other" please explain. If you checked relative or friend, please tell us about them. With their permission, please include contact their information.

If you or a friend or relative were laid off, please tell us from what company and what was the position in the company. If you prefer not to name the company, please share the industry and what type of job was held.

If you or a friend or relative are unemployed and seeking a job, tell us what the search has been like.

Please tell us how being unemployed or laid off has changed your or your friend's or relative's life. What changes in lifestyle have had to be made? How has it affected family life?

If you or a friend or relative are seeking employment how, if at all, have job expectations changed? Salary expectations? Commute?

If Congress fails to extend emergency unemployment benefits, what if anything will this mean for you and your family or your friend's or relative 's life?

What else should we know -- and to whom else should we talk -- about this subject?

Do we have your permission to use your comments on NPR.org, NPR radio, Beacon and Nine Network web sites? *

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Are you willing to speak more about this topic with a reporter, editor or producer?

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So that we may understand a little more about your perspective, please answer the following questions. All responses are voluntary.

In what year were you born?

What do you do for work/what is your occupation?

For whom do you work (who is your employer)? If you are a student, what school do you attend?

Which of these best describes your education level?

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If you picked other, please explain.

Feel free to share this with anyone you know who could offer insight about class status. Here's a link to make it easy: http://tinyurl.com/NPRjobloss

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About the Public Insight Network

Founded in 2003, American Public Media's Public Insight Network is a platform for connecting trusted journalists with knowledgeable sources and for fostering journalistic excellence, innovation and collaboration. Learn more »

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