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U.S. employers add 528,000 jobs in July; unemployment rate falls to 3.5%

Aug 5, 2022
With the jobs gains, the U.S. economy has restored all the jobs lost since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Layoffs may be on the horizon. Is the unemployment insurance system ready?

Aug 4, 2022
States are upgrading antiquated technology. But there are still big disparities among states.
Though states are investing to upgrade unemployment systems, there are still wide disparities among their processes and the benefits they provide.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

The job market is slowing but not stalling out

Jul 26, 2022
It's unlikely a crash in employment would prompt a recession. In spite of a slowdown in job creation, the job market remains relatively strong.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

New unemployment claims have spiked – but don't panic

Jul 22, 2022
Analysts say the 50% increase in new claims since March doesn't mean the job market is contracting. Here's what it could mean.
People receive information as they attend a job fair for employment with SoFi Stadium and Los Angeles International Airport employers, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Jobless claims have been on the rise.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Hot jobs market is showing some cool spots, staffing agencies say

Jul 7, 2022
There are still almost two jobs open for every person looking for work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week.
In some industries, the job market is showing signs of cooling. In others, the market is still hot.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Odds of a recession rising but vary widely

Jun 21, 2022
There is a very real chance that the country may end up paying a price for getting inflation under control. That price is recession.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on inflation, gun control and why governments shouldn't punish businesses

"I don’t believe it’s the role of government to punish private businesses because we don’t like what they say or do," Hutchinson told Marketplace.
"I don’t believe it’s the role of government to punish private businesses because we don’t like what they say or do," Hutchinson told Marketplace.
Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

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Another week of historically low unemployment claims confirms the job market's on fire

Apr 21, 2022
Two years ago, more than 4 million people filed for benefits in a single week. This year, the number's around 180,000.
The data on recent filings for jobless benefits compares favorably with pre-pandemic levels, but nearly 2 million people were working before the pandemic who aren’t now.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Workers have more leverage these days, but they're not less stressed

Apr 11, 2022
Nearly half of American workers are looking for a new job or plan to in the next year. One-third are ready to quit without a new job lined up.
One recent survey found that half of American workers think they’ll make more money just by switching jobs.
Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Is the "Great Resignation" actually normal for the labor market?

Apr 5, 2022
Bart Hobijn of the San Francisco Fed finds that during fast recoveries, workers often leave companies to join other companies.
Companies in industries like food and retail are rehiring after pandemic layoffs, attracting workers from other employers. That drives up the quits rate, says Bart Hobijn of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Tim Boyle/Getty Images