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The job market is still in recovery, but it's also still losing momentum

Nov 6, 2020
The decline in unemployment has slowed since an early rebound from the first wave of COVID-19 shutdowns.
The manufacturing and construction sectors have done pretty well throughout the pandemic, but But, jobs in travel, hotels and restaurants are still way down.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Unemployment drops to 6.9% and U.S. adds 638,000 jobs

Nov 6, 2020
Eight months after the virus struck, the U.S. economy still has recovered barely half the that were lost to the pandemic.
The economy, which had rebounded sharply in the July-September quarter as businesses reopened from virus-related shutdowns, is now expanding more slowly.
Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images

Continuing unemployment claims are down, but that doesn't tell the whole story

Nov 5, 2020
No state lets people stay on unemployment benefits for more than 26 weeks.
Unemployment benefits are running out for people who have been out of work for six months.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Worrying comes with costs

Nov 5, 2020
But worrying also comes with a few benefits.
A woman turns away in frustration after arguing with a Trump supporter at a pro-police rally in June in Torrance, California.
David McNew/Getty Image

751,000 seek unemployment aid; layoffs still up amid virus resurgence

Nov 5, 2020
Eight months after the pandemic flattened the economy, weekly jobless claims still point to a stream of layoffs.
A surge in viral cases and Congress’ failure so far to provide more aid for struggling individuals and businesses are threatening to deepen Americans’ economic pain.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Jobless Americans struggle to get and keep benefits

Nov 4, 2020
More than seven months into the pandemic, more people are filing for unemployment benefits every week than at any point in the Great Recession.
Protesters call on Florida to fix its unemployment system.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Unemployment claims fall to 751,000, lowest since March

Oct 29, 2020
But rising confirmed virus cases in nearly every state, along with a cutoff in federal aid, are threatening to weaken the economy.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

New jobless claims are down, but unemployment benefits are, too

Oct 22, 2020
Expiring federal and state relief benefits are taking billions of dollars a week out of the economy.
Tens of millions of Americans are still out of work, and their unemployment benefits are running out.
Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images

Unemployment claims drop to 787,000, but layoffs remain high

Oct 22, 2020
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 787,000, a sign that job losses may have eased slightly but are still running at historically high levels. With confirmed infections having neared 60,000 in the past week, the highest level since July, many consumers have been unable or reluctant to shop, travel, dine […]
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

One key to fixing the economy? Getting low-wage workers help

Christopher Low, chief economist at FHN Financial, says low-wage workers are suffering the bulk of job losses — the opposite of what happened in 2008.
A pedestrian walks by a San Francisco restaurant closed because of COVID-19.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images