Fewest Americans collecting unemployment aid since 1970
A winter spike in coronavirus infections briefly tripped up the country’s rebound from 2020′s virus-caused recession, but employers appear confident in long-term growth and are eager to hire.
Unemployment
Articles
Weekly U.S. jobless claims up, but remain historically low
In total, fewer than 1.6 million Americans were collecting jobless aid the week that ended Feb. 5, a decrease of about 26,000 from the previous week.
Jobless claims fall for third straight week
The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, declined by 2,000, to 253,250, after rising for five straight weeks as the omicron variant of the coronavirus spread, disrupting business in many parts of the U.S.
UPDATE: U.S. employers add surprising 467,000 jobs in January, put pressure on Fed
The government’s report Friday also drastically revised up its estimate of job gains for November and December by a combined 709,000.
U.S. Black jobless rate improves, with more entering workforce
The latest government figures show that the surprisingly strong labor market last month extended to parts of the workforce that usually take longer to draw in.
Jobless claims fall for second straight week
After three consecutive weeks of unemployment claims that appeared to rise in tandem with omicron, fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits for the second week in a row.
U.S. job openings rose in December amid worker shortages
About 4.3 million people quit their jobs in December, down from a record of 4.5 million in November. Still, far more Americans are leaving their jobs than before the pandemic.
Indiana’s unemployment rate continues descent, slipping to 2.7%
However, the state’s labor force participation rate also fell, drooping from 62.5% in November to 62.4% in December—a near-record low for at least the last 45 years.
U.S. jobless claims rise to 286,000, highest since October
Jobless claims rose for the third straight week—by 55,000, to 286,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The jump in claims marked the biggest one-week increase since mid-July.
U.S. jobless claims rise to highest level since mid-November
The weekly applications, a proxy for layoffs, have risen in four of the last five weeks, a period that runs in tandem with the spread of the omicron variant.
U.S. jobless rate sinks to 3.9% as many more people find jobs
Wages also rose sharply, a sign that companies are competing fiercely to fill their open jobs. A record-high wave of quitting, as many workers seek better jobs, is also fueling pay raises.
U.S. hiring likely rebounded last month before omicron surge
Economists estimated that employers added 400,000 jobs last month, according to a survey by data provider FactSet. That would mark an increase from 210,000 in November.
Record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November
Employers hired 6.7 million people in November, up from 6.5 million in October, the Labor Department reported Tuesday in its monthly Jobs Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
U.S. unemployment claims drop to 198,000
The four-week average of unemployment claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, fell to just above 199,000, the lowest level since October 1969.
Two forces collide to create most unusual job market in modern American history
The economy has seldom seen such a mismatch between so much demand for workers and so few people willing to work.
Secret Service: Nearly $100B stolen in pandemic relief funds
The Labor Department has reported about $87 billion in unemployment benefits could have been paid improperly, with a significant portion attributable to fraud.
Indiana’s unemployment rate drops to 20-plus-year low
However, the state’s labor force participation rate also fell, drooping from 62.7% in October to 62.5% in November—a near-record low for at least the last 46 years.
U.S. jobless claims rise but still historically low at 206,000
The four-week average, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, fell by 16,000, to less than 204,000, the lowest level since mid-November 1969, according Department of Labor figures released Thursday.
U.S. jobless claims at 52-year low amid seasonal volatility
The four-week moving average, which smooths out week-to-week ups and downs, fell below 219,000, lowest since the pandemic hit the United States in March 2020.
U.S. businesses advertise for near-record 11 million open jobs
The figures from the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey, or JOLTS, show that with so many companies chasing relatively few unemployed people, job-seekers have the most bargaining power they have had in at least two decades.