Quick Facts
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A Big Sign That the US Economy Is on the Upswing
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week to 684,000, the fewest since the pandemic erupted a year ago and a sign that the economy is improving. Thursday's report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims fell from 781,000 the week before. It's the... Go to Source Author:
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Bars, Restaurants Give a Jolt to February Hiring
The new unemployment report is out, and the numbers are stronger than expected. The highlights: New jobs: Employers added 379,000 jobs in February, above expectations of 210,000, reports the Wall Street Journal . The figure is well above the 49,000 jobs gained in January. The rate: The unemployment... Go to Source Author: John Johnson
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This State Wants Its Money Back After Overpaying Unemployed
A recent letter in the mail to St. Louis salesman Mike Conners demanding he pay back the state of Missouri more than $7,500 in unemployment benefits caught him by surprise. But as FOX 2 reports, his letter was no anomaly: The state now says it paid out $150 million... Go to Source Author: Jenn Gidman
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Hiring Rights Itself After a One-Month Dip
The new jobs report is out, and the big number is back in positive territory. Employers added a modest 49,000 jobs in January, though that was in line with expectations of 50,000, reports CNBC . The increase may be "tepid," as the AP describes it, but it also reverses... Go to Source Author: John Johnson
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Calif.: Criminals Raided Unemployment Funds to Tune of $11.4B
From March of last year to the middle of January, California paid out some $114 billion in unemployment benefits. Now, the state's labor secretary, Julie Su, has some alarming news on about $11.4 billion, or 10%, of that figure—those payments were fraudulent, stolen by hackers, identity thieves, and... Go to Source Author: Jenn Gidman
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7 Months of Job Growth Just Ended
The relentless virus finally overtook new hiring. Employers shed 140,000 jobs in the US in December, reversing a trend of seven months of job growth, reports the Wall Street Journal . The unemployment rate stayed at 6.7%, which the AP notes is the first time it has not declined... Go to Source Author: Newser Editors
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New Jobless Claims Still at 4 Times Normal
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 last week but remained elevated at 787,000 as a resurgent coronavirus gripped the US economy. While at the lowest level in four weeks, the new figures released Thursday by the Labor Department are nearly four times higher than... Go to Source Author:
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‘Several People Broke Down Crying in Phone Interviews’
It's a rough read for Christmas Day. But the Washington Post interviews 10 people pushed to the financial brink because of the pandemic who can't understand why Congress and the White House haven't been able to agree on a relief package. "Several people broke down crying in phone interviews," write... Go to Source Author: Newser Editors
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New Jobless Claims Are, ‘in Absolute Terms, Bad News’
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 89,000 last week to a still-elevated 803,000, evidence that the job market remains under stress nine months after the coronavirus outbreak sent the US economy into recession and caused millions of layoffs. The latest figure, released Wednesday by the... Go to Source Author:
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Unemployment Claims Head in Wrong Direction
The number of people applying for unemployment aid jumped last week to 853,000, the most since September, evidence that companies are cutting more jobs as new virus cases spiral higher, per the AP . The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of applications increased from 716,000 the previous... Go to Source Author:
