Unemployment

The labor market got a good report card for August, but inflation remains high. That complicates the Federal Reserve’s decision-making process.

More than a quarter of people who are unemployed have now been out of work for at least 27 weeks. Some for much longer.

A Marylander started an income redistribution club last year after a bunch of his friends who worked for the federal government lost their jobs.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to the lowest level since 1969 — but there are disturbing trends below the surface.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported just 57,000 new jobs in June. Economists had expected double that.

April and May hiring increases were concentrated in lower-paying industries like leisure and hospitality, while professional sectors like banking and tech weren’t doing as well.

They’re hiring, paying more, and giving workers more hours.

In Iran, inflation is soaring, food prices are spiking, and over a million people have lost their jobs.

Philadelphia’s unemployment rate has risen recently, from 4.5% to 5.3%. That is a whole percentage point higher than the state and national average.

Long-term unemployment is defined as six months or more without work. The number of Americans in that group is up more than 300,000 over the past year, even as the overall jobless rate holds at 4.3%.