Because clearly, I have failed you.

I set out to describe how the state and national unemployment rate was calculated — and explain it is an imperfect, but valuable, measure — but somehow I bungled the assignment and was unable to communicate a central element of the story. Namely, that when officials calculate unemployment they do not simply count the number of people receiving unemployment benefits.

That would miss lots of people, because not everyone who’s laid off or out of work is eligible for benefits.

I thought I made that point pretty emphatically, writing …

To determine the statewide jobless rate, officials do not simply report the number of people receiving unemployment. That would understate the problem because fewer than 35 percent of those out of work qualify for jobless benefits.

Instead, officials combine state data with the findings of a national monthly survey of about 60,000 households. The federal survey asks who has a job, who is out of work and who is looking for work.

Respondents are considered unemployed only if they are out of work and have looked for a job in the previous four weeks. Their benefits status is irrelevant.

But judging from of the online comments, there’s no stopping a determined (if badly informed) reader. Take this one from “Harlee” …

“When a person(s) employment coverage ends, even if one does NOT find a job, our government takes that person off the list of unemployment and automatically places that person on a list as ‘job found’ causing the unemployment rate to go down regardless if they found a job or not.  Most people don’t realize the rate of unemployment is based only on how many are unemployed who are ‘eligible to COLLECT.’  And those who do not qualify to collect are also not counted.”

No, no, no, Harlee. That is not correct.

You’ve missed a crucial part of the story. You took the time to leave a comment, but apparently didn’t read more than two paragraphs into the actual piece.

Mind you, Harlee isn’t saying he doesn’t believe what the government puts out. He’s just casually saying that “most people don’t realize” only those receiving jobless benefits are counted as unemployed. As if he’s clearing up a misconception.

Harlee, your version of this is the misconception.

I’m reminded of a recent email blasting President Obama for removing the American flag logo from Air Force One and replacing it with his campaign’s logo. The angry writer said if I or any other reader was skeptical of the story — um, yeah, I’d say do — I should check the item out on the myth-busting site, Snopes.com.

So I did. And here’s what Snopes (predictably) told me: “This claim is completely false.”

So the emailer sent as his proof a reference that eviscerates his allegation. Think about that for a minute. It’s like arguing against evolution and then referring someone to “Origin of the Species.”

“Don’t believe me? Go read Darwin! He’ll tell you it’s all a crock.”

So Harlee, that’s for writing. Next time, though, I’d ask you to get at least eight paragraphs in before firing up the keyboard.

They begin today interviewing finalists for the agency’s CEO position. The selection committee last week identified 10 candidates it wanted to talk with. The plan calls for committee members to interview half today and half tomorrow.

Then, they’ll bring back their favorites for a final round of interviews on Wednesday. The committee hopes to make a recommendation to the full board by the end of the day Wednesday.

The pool of 10 includes several individuals with previous workforce development experience. There’s also a rear admiral and an adjunct instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Allie Braswell, the current President and CEO of the Central Florida Urban League, has applied for the job as has Nancy Higgs, a former Brevard County commissioner, and Kevin Neal, who was appointed interim chief of the agency  last fall.

There’s a generous helping of resume-speak scattered throughout the material provided by the candidates.

On applicant describes himself as a “Senior Operational Excellence Nonprofit Executive – C Level and trusted advisor to senior leadership who leverages deep and broad experience in multi-service, nonprofit organizations to drive strategic vision, foster long-term sustainability and establish fiscally and operationally sound organizations.”

He could be a terrific candidate, but am I the only one who wonders sometimes if resumes like this are spit out by some random phrase generator loaded with buzzy sounding business words?

Whoever gets the job faces an interesting future. He or she will inherit an agency eager (desperate?) to rehab its image and restore its credibility. And they’ll have to do so while navigating the Byzantine network of federal and state regulations governing regional workforce boards.

Across the country, more than 200,000 people will be affected, according to CNNMoney, which reports …

Nearly half of them live in California, and the rest reside in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Texas.

The federal extended benefits program has provided the jobless with up to 20 weeks of unemployment checks after they’ve run through their state and their federal emergency benefits, which together last up to 79 weeks.

But the extended benefits program is expiring throughout the country as the economy improves. To be eligible for these benefits, a state must show that its unemployment rate is at least 10% higher than it was in at least one of the past three years.

Read the rest of the item here.

Groups like the National Employment Law Project have been pushing Congress to reauthorize the extended benefits program, but there has generally little political will to do so. NELP, a worker advocacy group, crunched the numbers and concluded about 29,400 people in Florida would be affected by the change.

Researchers looked at how the states compare to their peers and to the national average. They found that, generally, Middle Atlantic states and states in New England have better upward mobility.

States in the south “have consistently lower upward and higher downward mobility,” the study found. Florida is among the nine states that generally showed worse mobility than the national average.

“When it comes to achieving the American Dream, it matters where you live,” said Erin Currier, manager of the mobility project.

The study focused on people born between 1943 and 1958 and looked at their prime earning years — from roughly ages 35 to 49. The data was taken from income surveys and the Social Security Administration.

You can find details of the study and a map that shows how Florida stacks up to other states here.

The research supports what economists and many elected officials have said for years. Florida must find ways to create or attract more high-paying jobs and become less dependent on relatively low-wage, low-benefit jobs tied to the tourism and hospitality industries.

Today, board members on the executive search committee will meet at 1 p.m. to pare down the list of possible candidates. Next week, it has scheduled three days of interviews to talk with the most promising applicants.

The committee will interview half of the top candidates on Monday and the other half on Tuesday. The best will be brought back Wednesday for a second round of interviews, after which the committee is expected to make a recommendation to the full board.

All told, about 300 people applied for the job, including Kevin Neal, the agency’s interim chief. Neal is an administrator from the Department of Economic Opportunity who was sent to Orlando last fall to run Workforce after its previous chief executive was forced out by Gov. Rick Scott.

Scott demanded the resignation CEO Gary Earl and the entire Workforce board after a series of Sentinel stories highlighted questionable spending and management decisions at the publicly funded jobs agency.

New board members have made hiring a CEO a top priority, but the search has taken longer than anticipated. Whoever gets the job will be expected to rebuild the agency’s credibility and rehabilitate its reputation among local leaders and the public in general.

The agency generally flew under the radar of most Central Floridians — despite receiving tens of millions of dollars in federal grant money annually — until it approved a public outreach campaign that proposed handing out red capes to the unemployed.

Here’s the release the state put out today …

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND WORKFORCE FLORIDA HONOR MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH

Florida’s workforce partners support state’s service men and women and their families through employment programs and services

Tallahassee – In honor of Military Appreciation Month, the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Workforce Florida, Inc. are highlighting the Hiring Florida’s Heroes campaign and the specialized employment services offered throughout the state to support Florida’s veterans and the family members of active duty and reserve service men and women. Since the start of 2012 and the kick-off of the Hiring Florida’s Heroes campaign, Florida’s workforce partners have served 27,000 veterans statewide and placed 10,000 in jobs.

“Knowing the sacrifices made by our soldiers and their families, DEO is proud to be able to show our appreciation for their service and provide assistance through specialized employment programs that focus on their needs and skills,” said DEO Executive Director Hunting F. Deutsch. “There are nearly 200 DEO employees located throughout the state dedicated solely to assisting veterans and their families find employment by working with local employers, providing one-on-one support and offering training.”

Florida is home to nearly 100,000 active duty and reserve military personnel, 11,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen, 230,000 military family members and more than 1.6 million veterans. Priority service, hands-on case management, specialized employment assistance and training resources are provided to all veterans and military personnel through more than a dozen different programs facilitated by the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards and nearly 100 One-Stop Career Centers. In addition, seven regions with large military populations offer specialized employment services to military family members.

“Florida’s veterans personify courage, strength, innovation and responsibility, as do the military spouses who maintain the homefront while their loved ones are away defending our country and freedoms,” said Workforce Florida President/CEO Chris Hart IV. “Workforce Florida is honored to support their unique employment needs, which not only advances our mission to improve the state’s business climate by helping Floridians enter, remain and advance in the workforce but also connects Florida’s employers with an exemplary talent pool of qualified, dedicated workers.”

With funding from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service, DEO administers the Jobs for Veterans State Grant in conjunction with various workforce development programs to promote and maximize the employment of Florida’s veteran population, especially those with barriers to employment. All 174 of DEO’s Veterans Employment Program staff are veterans themselves, allowing them to directly relate to those they are serving. Just over half of these staff focus specifically on veterans with barriers to employment, such as disabled veterans. More than 5,500 disabled veterans have been served so far in 2012, with 1,800 securing jobs.

“Our service members leave the military with proven leadership and technical skills, a strong sense of teamwork and integrity, and the ability to work under pressure,” said Mike Prendergast, executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “These are the very qualities employers seek. Hiring our state’s veterans is an employer’s best bet.”

Florida’s workforce partners, local communities and military facilities work together year-round to host career fairs and hiring events specifically for veterans and their families. This year there have been at least 15 hiring events and career fairs and there are dozens more in the coming months. Three of these upcoming career fairs are part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program and will bring together local, state, regional and national partners and employers.

Services and programs include:

Employ Florida Vets Portal

Part of the Employ Florida Marketplace website, the Employ Florida Vets Portal is tailored specifically to the needs and interests of veterans. A veteran registers and sets up a profile with his or her skills and abilities, résumé and work history that is then shared with One-Stop Career Center staff and employers. Veteran job seekers can also receive automatic notifications of job announcements matching their profile. In addition, the portal has a specialized feature to translate Military Specialty Codes (represents military employment classification) into equivalent civilian job titles.

VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program

The VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program (VR&E) is focused on training and employment services to assist disabled veterans who are being trained or retrained and rehabilitated for new careers by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. DEO Veterans program staff provides workforce services to disabled veterans participating in the VR&E Program such as on-the-job training development, non-paid work experience, selective job placement, case management, counseling, follow-up services, provision of job-seeking skills training, job analysis, labor market information and more.

Military Family Employment Advocacy Program

The Military Family Employment Advocacy Program offers employment assistance services, including interviewing, assessment, counseling, job search and placement assistance, labor market information, résumé assistance and more. Eight full-time staff, known as Military Family Employment Advocates, are co-located within seven One-Stop Career Centers in areas of the state with large military populations to provide these services to spouses and dependents of active-duty military personnel, Florida National Guard members and military reservists.

Transition Assistance Program

Operational at 11 military sites, the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides important employability skills training to military members and their spouses as they transition from military to civilian life. Participation in TAP helps provide a path to a quality career. DEO’s Veterans program staff facilitates approximately 25 TAP classes throughout Florida on a monthly basis.

Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program

The Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program provides assistance to incarcerated veterans who will be transitioning back into the workforce with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. Program services vary and are offered by DEO Veterans program staff located in One-Stop Centers throughout the state.

The publicly funded jobs agency has all new board members, and the staff responsible for the “Cape-A-Bility Challenge” is long gone. But Workforce is still hounded by its proposal last year to hand out capes to the unemployed as part of a public outreach campaign.

“A constant problem,” as described by Workforce Board Chairman Kevin Shaughnessy.

The agency donated the bulk of the capes — those without Workforce logos — to local charities that serve children. But it still has a few hundred that carry the Workforce name, and Shaughnessy and his fellow board members are looking for creative ways to dispose of them.

“A bonfire has been suggested,” said Shaughnessy at a recent Workforce board meeting.

I’m pretty sure he was serious.

The law gives Gov. Rick Scott authority to unilaterally remove regional workforce board members and/or the CEOs hired to run the publicly-funded jobs agencies. Lawmakers pushed the measure through after a series of news stories — primarily in the Sentinel — revealed significant spending and management problems at Workforce Central Florida and some of its sister agencies around the state.

But here’s the thing: The federal law governing the workforce agencies make it pretty clear that local elected officials — that is, county commissioners — are the ones with appointment power. The governor is given that role only if local elected officials can’t agree on who to place on the regional workforce board.

Several local officials have told me privately they’re convinced the state law violates the federal provisions. But almost no one is willing to publicly challenge the governor and Legislature on this front.

That’s because the locals have virtually no political capital to expend on the issue. Workforce Central Florida officials — appointed after the previous board was forced out last fall — are up to their elbows trying to rehab the agency’s image (red capes, anyone?) and improve its performance.

They’re also negotiating with the state, trying to resolve problems that, if the state insists on playing rough, could cost the agency hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So the last thing those workforce officials want to do is tick off the governor’s office by raising hell about his workforce reform law. For now, they have little choice but to genuflect and ask for absolution — even if they’re convinced the new state law is inconsistent with federal statutes.

The deadline to apply is May 6, which is Sunday.

The 20 additional weeks of so-called extended benefits are made available during times of especially high and long-lasting unemployment. They kick in after a claimant exhausts eligibility in the state-funded program.

But when Florida’s statewide jobless rate fell to 9 percent, the state lost its claim on the extra weeks.

Read the full story here.

Allie Braswell, CEO of the Central Florida Urban League, will be one of the participants. Braswell will discuss a workforce training program recently featured in the report, “Connecting the Dots: Linking Broadband Adoption to Job Creation and Job Competitiveness.”

The discussion will be broadcast live on CSPAN-2 at 3:00.

Here’s the release on the event:

The National Urban League Policy Institute and Time Warner Cable Research Program on Digital Communications will host a discussion on the findings and ideas in its recent report, Connecting the Dots:  Linking Broadband Adoption to Job Creation and Job Competitiveness.

While broadband access gap between African Americans and white Americans has started to narrow, more needs to be done to increase participation by African Americans in broadband jobs and businesses.  The panel will explore how private enterprise, community organizations and governments can work together to do this in underserved communities.