unemployment

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CBO: Economy Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Agency predicts grim picture on unemployment, inflation in 2025, before improvement in '26

(Newser) - President Trump's tariff policies, immigration crackdowns, and sweeping tax and spending law are expected to increase jobless rates and inflation and lower overall growth this year before they improve next year, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The CBO on Friday released new economic...

Americans Are Growing Less Sure They Can Land New Work

New survey from Federal Reserve Bank of New York isn't a hugely optimistic one

(Newser) - Americans' belief in their ability to land a new job has hit a record low, according to a new survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In August, respondents put their "perceived probability" of finding work after a job loss at just 44.9%—down 5....

Latest Sign of Softening Labor Market Emerges

The number of Americans filing last week was 263K, a 4-year high

(Newser) - US jobless claim applications jumped to their highest level in almost four years last week, reports the AP , the latest sign that the labor market is softening. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the week ending Sept. 6 rose 27,000 to 263,000, the Labor Department...

New Jobs Report Is Weaker Than Expected

Employers added only 22K jobs in first report since Trump fired Labor Department official

(Newser) - The new jobs report is out, the first one since President Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and accused her of rigging the numbers. The August report hasn't changed the narrative much, however: It suggests the labor market continued to cool off over the summer....

First Jobs Report Since Trump Fired Official Is Due

Economists expect weak numbers for August

(Newser) - The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to drop its latest jobs report on Friday, and there's more than usual riding on the numbers. This is the first report since President Trump abruptly fired the agency's commissioner , Erika McEntarfer, after an unexpectedly weak July jobs tally and...

Americans' Outlook on the Future Isn't So Perky

Nearly 70% don't believe in the so-called American dream anymore, per new WSJ -NORC poll

(Newser) - A new Wall Street Journal-NORC poll paints a dim picture of Americans' faith in upward mobility. Just 25% of respondents believe they have a decent shot at improving their standard of living—a record low since the survey began in 1987. More than three-quarters of those who responded to...

Young Chinese People Are Paying for Pretend Jobs

Their reasons range from needing structure to outright deception

(Newser) - Nobody wants to work for free, let alone pay for the privilege. But, in China, where unemployment is a massive problem for young people, more and more are waking up, getting dressed, commuting, and clocking into "pretend-to-work offices" where they can convince themselves—or others—that they're gainfully...

Typical Job Hunt Now Tops 10 Weeks
Job Hunts Are Taking Longer
Aug 3, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

Job Hunts Are Taking Longer

Unemployed often are forced to consider lesser positions or retirement

(Newser) - As job openings dry up and companies pull back on hiring, unemployed Americans are facing the longest waits for work in years. New federal data show that more than 1.8 million people have been out of work for at least 27 weeks, the longest period outside the coronavirus...

Gen Z Job-Seekers Have Big New Problem: AI

Artificial intelligence appears to be shrinking the number of entry-level corporate jobs

(Newser) - Recent college graduates hoping to snag an entry-level corporate job are running into a new, digital hurdle: artificial intelligence. According to the career platform Handshake, job postings for entry-level white-collar positions—long seen as the first step for new grads—have fallen by 15%, reports CBS News . Meanwhile, competition...

College Grads Find the Current Job Market 'Stings'

It's the toughest job market for young adults in more than a decade; AI may be playing a role

(Newser) - While completing a master's degree in data analysis, Palwasha Zahid moved from Dallas to a town near Silicon Valley. Zahid, 25, completed her studies in December, but so far she hasn't found a job in the industry that surrounds her. "It stings a little bit," she...

'Tariff Uncertainty' Could Weigh on Jobs Report
Hiring Comes in
Stronger Than Expected
UPDATED
May 2, 2025 7:39 AM CDT

Hiring Comes in Stronger Than Expected

Employers add 177K jobs in March, though full effect of tariffs may not be evident yet

(Newser) - The new jobs report beat expectations, showing that employers added 177,000 jobs in April, reports CNBC . Analysts anticipated about 133,000. The new figure is down from 228,000 in March, though it was positive enough to cheer Wall Street: Dow futures were up more than 300 points in...

Hiring Remains Steady, but Wildcards Loom

Employers add 151K jobs, below expectations, but number doesn't reflect federal firings

(Newser) - The new jobs report shows that employers continued to hire at a solid pace in February, but a wave of federal firings, along with possible tariffs, may start clouding the picture going forward. Details:
  • Employers added 151,000 jobs in February, up from 125,000 in January though below expectations
...

New Jobs Report Lower Than Expected

But unemployment rate falls to 4%

(Newser) - The new unemployment report is out, and the gist seems to be: lower than expected but still solid, reports the Washington Post .
  • Hiring: Employers added 143,000 jobs in January, below expectations of 169,000, reports CNBC .
  • Unemployment: The rate fell to 4% from 4.1%, though it had been
...

It's a Tough Job Market for White-Collar Workers

AI is partly to blame, analysts say

(Newser) - Official figures show that the job market is in robust health, but the reality is very different for millions of American workers. The number of people who have been looking for work for more than six months is up more than 50% since the end of 2022, and people laid...

New Jobs Report Stronger Than Expected

Employers add 227K workers in November, a big rebound from October

(Newser) - America's job market rebounded in November—a solid recovery from October, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers' payrolls.
  • Main number: Employers added 227,000 jobs, slightly above expectations of 214,000, reports CNBC . The figure also is up considerably from a meager gain of
...

Hurricanes, Strikes Result in Anemic Hiring Numbers

Employers added just 12K jobs in October, lowest since 2020

(Newser) - America's employers added just 12,000 jobs in October, a total that economists say was held down by the effects of hurricanes and a Boeing strike in particular that left many workers temporarily off payrolls. The report provided a somewhat blurry view of the job market at the end...

Stronger-Than-Expected Jobs Report Gets a 'Wow'

Feds say employers added 254K jobs last month

(Newser) - America's employers added a surprisingly strong 254,000 jobs in September, the latest evidence that the US labor market is still solid enough to support steady hiring and a growing economy. Last month's hiring gain was up sharply from the 159,000 jobs that were added in August,...

Much-Anticipated Jobs Report a Bit Weaker Than Expected

Employers added 142K jobs in August, fewer than forecast, but that's up from July

(Newser) - One of the most anticipated jobs reports in years is out, and it's a mix of good and bad news. One big takeaway is that the data keeps the Federal Reserve on track to cut interest rates later this month, though the size of the potential cut isn't...

Why the Latest Jobs Report Is Such a Big Deal

It could affect White House race as well as Fed rate cuts

(Newser) - The monthly jobs report comes out Friday morning and since it has the potential to affect both the presidential race and the Federal Reserve's long-anticipated interest rate cut, it's being very closely watched. Economists will be watching to see if the unexpected spike in the unemployment rate in...

Unemployment Rate Takes Unexpected Jump

It's now 4.3%, highest since 2021; employers added a weaker-than-expected 114K jobs

(Newser) - The latest unemployment report is out, and it reaffirms that the once-booming US job market runs the risk of fizzling:
  • The number: Employers added 114,000 jobs in July, well below expectations of 185,000, reports CNBC . That's down from a revised figure of 179,000 in June; a
...

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