Company that helps unemployed sees uptick in clients

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One Charlotte organization is seeing an increase in people using its free resources to find jobs as lawmakers on Capitol Hill fight over long-term unemployment benefits.

Steve Partridge, the president and CEO at Charlotte Works, said the uptick started in July and August, after the state cut long-term unemployment benefits.

Charlotte Works helps the unemployed or underemployed in the community to get back on their feet through workshops and seminars.

"It's across the board that we're seeing that growth," Partridge said. "But you're seeing a lot of long-term unemployed that are sort of stuck and can't get beyond getting back to the job market, so we're focusing a lot in the coming year on helping those individuals."

Partridge said they are seeing a lot of entry-level job growth, including in the hospitality sector.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in November 2013 was 6.9 percent, down from 9.3 percent in June 2013.

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