Even with restrictions on business activity easing in many places, layoffs persist. The Texas storms were one of the latest setbacks.
Tag Archives: Labor Department (US)
Why Top Economists Are Citing a Higher-Than-Reported Jobless Rate
The official rate stood at 6.3 percent in January, but using an expanded metric, Fed and Treasury officials say it’s closer to 10 percent.
Dip in Unemployment Claims Offers Hope as New Virus Cases Ease
With restrictions lifting, workers in industries hard hit by the pandemic are getting a respite from layoffs, and job postings are increasing.
January 2021 Jobs Report: Outlook for Economic Recovery Dims
With a gain of 49,000 jobs in January, and with few of those in the private sector, the labor market offers little relief to the nearly 10 million Americans who are unemployed.
Biden Tells OSHA to Issue New Covid-19 Guidance to Employers
Unions, which largely support the new president, had complained that the Trump administration did little to protect workers from the coronavirus.
Continuing Job Losses Put Spotlight on Economic Relief
Relentless unemployment claims show the pandemic’s grip on the labor market. Help from the recent stimulus bill may lapse before an upturn arrives.
Biden Should Help Protect Uber and Lyft Drivers
The Biden administration has an opportunity to restore basic labor protections to the people who deliver our groceries and drive for Uber and Lyft.
Unemployment Claims Rise Sharply, Showing New Economic Pain
Weekly filings for jobless benefits hit the highest level since July as the pandemic’s resurgence batters the service industry.
December Jobs Report: Recovery Goes Into Reverse
U.S. employment fell by 140,000 in December as virus cases surged. Leisure and hospitality businesses were hit hard, but some industries showed growth.
Biden Selects Heads of Labor, Commerce and Small Business Agencies
With his victory secured, the president-elect is moving to fill out his economic team.
Unemployment Claims Show Continuing Pressure on Job Market
Employers remain cautious about hiring, one economist says, “but the resurgence of the virus is really the main culprit.”
New Signs of Economic Distress Emerge as Trump Imperils Aid Deal
A decline in consumer income and spending poses a further challenge to the recovery as jobless claims remain high and benefits approach a cutoff.
Unemployment Claims Show Impact of Layoffs as Virus Surges
“It’s going to be a challenging few months,” one economist says. A new pandemic relief bill from Congress could soften the blow.
How Biden Can Move His Economic Agenda Without Congress
Union leaders and policy experts say the next administration could do plenty on behalf of workers through regulation and other powers.
Further Slowdown in Job Creation Sets Off Economic Alarms
November’s hiring of 245,000, the fifth straight monthly easing in new employment, reinforces calls for action on a fresh relief package.
Unemployment Claims Rise as Economic Worries Grow
With coronavirus cases increasing again in the United States, the “fragility of the recovery” is in jeopardy, one economist said.
Jobs Report Shows Gains but Vulnerability to New Coronavirus Surge
U.S. payrolls grew by 638,000 in October and unemployment fell to 6.9%, but lockdowns could stifle a rebound in restaurant and retail work.
For Owners Looking to Sell, an Option That Keeps Their Company Intact
A sale to employees keeps the company local, and that may be more important to some owners than getting the highest price.
Labor Department Curbs Announcements of Company Violations
A memo tells officials to hold back on news releases about enforcement decisions, saying they can linger unfairly online if citations are overturned.
OSHA Under Fire Over Regulation of Meatpacking in Pandemic
Critics say the agency has applied scant oversight and negligible penalties despite virus outbreaks at many plants in the spring.
A Regulatory Rush by Federal Agencies to Secure Trump’s Legacy
With the president’s re-election in doubt, cabinet departments are scrambling to finish dozens of new rules affecting millions of Americans.
Unemployment Claims Rise Anew in Latest Sign of Economic Distress
Hopes for a rebound of the American economy have been clouded by layoffs, a surge in virus cases and a lack of fresh federal aid.
Princeton to Pay Nearly $1.2 Million to Female Professors to Address Inequity
A U.S. Department of Labor review of staff wages from 2012 to 2014 found disparities between male and female professors.
Trump Moves to Tighten Visa Access for High-Skilled Foreign Workers
Four weeks before the election, the Trump administration has announced stricter rules for the H-1B visa program, which U.S. companies have long valued.
Jobs Report Shows Further Slowdown in U.S. Economic Recovery
Payrolls grew last month, but permanent layoffs are rising, the labor force is contracting, and fewer women are employed.
Unemployment Claims Fraud Exploits Weak Spots in System
Pandemic programs have lowered the barriers to collecting benefits, and the usual security methods haven’t kept up.
Unemployment Claims Rise as Job Rebound Loses Momentum
New filings for unemployment benefits rose last week, signaling continued layoffs even before autumn chills outdoor business.
Uber and Lyft Could Gain From U.S. Rule Defining Employment
The Labor Department proposal would most likely treat drivers and other gig workers as contractors, not employees.
Why Unemployment Claims May Be Overcounted by Millions
Weekly tallies of jobless claims were not meant to be treated as an economic indicator. The pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of doing so.
Unemployment Benefits Program Has Issues With Fraud and Math
An emergency federal program faces growing issues with spurious claims, and the flood of applicants may have led to overcounting the unemployed.
Unemployment Claims Send Another Worrisome Note
Filings for benefits reflect continued layoffs and a sluggish recovery. “The numbers are going in the wrong direction,” one economist said.
Franchise Workers Win Victory Over U.S. Effort to Curb Lawsuits
A judge rebuffed a Labor Department move that made it harder for employees to win judgments against parent companies over pay violations.
Job Growth Slackens, Signaling Vulnerability of Recovery
Unemployment fell to 8.4% in August, but the gain of 1.4 million jobs was the weakest in months. The end of federal aid programs is casting a shadow.
Unemployment Claims Show Layoffs Continue to Batter Economy
Progress in restoring lost jobs has become more challenging. “It’s pretty bad at this stage in the crisis,” one economist said.
Unemployment Claims Rise as Rollout of $300 Benefit Lags
With the labor market showing new fragility, most states have yet to seek funds under President Trump’s stopgap plan to supplement weekly jobless pay.
Labor Dept. Lawyer Says Trump Appointee Intervened in Oracle Case
A litigator asserts that she faced reprisal after saying Secretary Eugene Scalia was set to settle a discrimination suit for a sum she found too low.
New Unemployment Claims Decline, but Remain ‘Alarmingly High’
Nearly 1.2 million filed for state benefits last week, the lowest total since March, as economic readings offer only limited encouragement.
Financial Brokers Must Now Act in Your ‘Best Interest.’ What Does That Mean?
A new standard established by the Securities and Exchange Commission may sound better than it actually is, consumer advocates say.
Why College Students May Qualify for Special Covid Pandemic Aid
While traditional unemployment insurance usually leaves out students, they may be eligible for federal pandemic aid. But some states don’t make it easy to get.
4.8 Million Jobs Added in June, but Clouds Grow Over Economy
Some 4.8 million positions were added last month, but renewed shutdowns could accelerate the continuing layoffs.
Unemployment: 1.5 Million New State Claims in Weekly Tally
As coronavirus hot spots flare across the U.S., adding to economic worries, new jobless claims surpassed one million for the 14th week.
Unemployment Claims: 1.5 Million New State Filings in a Week
With new state unemployment claims topping one million for the 13th week, the coronavirus crisis seems to be reaching deeper into the labor market.
1.5 Million Filed State Unemployment Claims Last Week
More than 1.5 million sought state unemployment benefits last week as layoffs spread to more job categories even as businesses reopened.
No, the Jobs Report Wasn’t Rigged. Here’s What Happened.
The pandemic has complicated the usual methods and models for compiling employment data. But uncertainty has been offset by transparency.
Unemployment Claims Remain High as Businesses Reopen
State jobless rolls increased last week as some workers were newly laid off and others belatedly started to receive benefits.
2.1 Million Unemployment Claims Push Total Past 40 Million
Unemployment claims exceed 40 million since the start of the pandemic, with 2.1 million added last week, but a backlog may be leaving many uncounted.
Many Jobs May Vanish Forever as Layoffs Mount
With over 38 million U.S. unemployment claims in nine weeks, one economist says the situation is “grimmer than we thought.”
Unemployment Claims Above 36 Million in Coronavirus Pandemic
Nearly three million new unemployment claims brought the two-month total to more than 36 million, even with some still frustrated in seeking benefits.
The Trump Administration’s Legal Moves to Prevent a Meat Shortage, Explained
Contrary to misunderstandings, the actions fall short of ordering meatpacking facilities to reopen despite Covid-19 outbreaks among workers.
Protecting Workers From Coronavirus: OSHA Leaves It to Employers
Critics say the federal agency charged with protecting worker safety has played a conspicuously small role during the pandemic.