Economists have announced the recession is over, but as the country recovers from the downturn, the job market still has suffered.
And hundreds have turned to the city of Columbus looking for work.
There currently are 870 applications on file with the city, including 500 for positions with the city”s Public Works Department.
But, because of a hiring freeze affecting all but the Columbus Fire Department and Columbus Police Department, only two positions are being advertised as vacant. And current city employees have the first choice in priority, if they meet necessary qualifications.
“Actually, I can safely say I”ve seen a 40 percent increase, in the last six months (in the number of applications received),” Pat Mitchell, Columbus” Human Resources Department director, said of the effects of the economic recession. “We”ve had lots and lots of walk-ins. I have people that come in and say, ”Whatever you have, I don”t care. I just need a job.””
A steady stream of callers inquire about jobs daily; many more visit Mitchell”s department, looking for work or just filling out applications to meet jobless-pay requirements.
“They think there are always jobs open,” she said. “That”s indicated by all the applications we take on a daily basis. There are some genuinely seeking employment; there are some who are just going through the motions (of applying to meet requirements to collect unemployment benefits) and there are some, I genuinely believe, who just want a paycheck.”
Mitchell also is concerned with the number of applicants who have felony convictions.
Although the city conducts thorough background checks, some applicants successfully go through the application process only to fail a required drug test.
“We had (someone fail) only once last year,” Mitchell said, noting the incidences are not high, but each employee physical costs the city about $175.
HR Department goals
As director of human resources, Mitchell conducts interviews, makes recommendations for employees, keeps employees apprised of relevant laws, presents issues to the Columbus City Council, oversees the city”s payroll functions, maintains the city”s insurance and handles citizens” liability claims against the city. She has worked with the city since 1985, in several capacities for the city, before being named interim director of the Human Resources Department, in 2003 and permanent director in 2005.
During a recent City Council retreat, Mitchell outlined several goals for the department, over the next three to five years.
Goals include improving the city”s employee handbook, working with department heads to update job descriptions, and ensuring vacancies and news regarding employment with the city regularly are posted on the city”s Web site.
Mitchell also is working with the John C. Stennis Institute of Government and other sources to help develop a “current, up-to-date pay scale” for the city, which has 262 employees.
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