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Building financial stability, one Lego brick at a time

Jun 1, 2023
What one veteran and former bartender found in a new job.
At a retailer specializing in Lego toys, Neil Cairns found a sense of purpose.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

After high school years interrupted by COVID, students calculate the cost of college differently

May 25, 2023
This spring, there were 14.2 million undergraduates in the U.S., about 9% fewer than in spring 2019.
This spring, there were 9% fewer undergraduate students in the U.S. than there were in spring 2019.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The class of 2023 is graduating into a challenging job market

Apr 5, 2023
The jobless rate for young workers has jumped since late 2021 and loan repayment is back on the table. Soon-to-be grads are scrambling.
New grads are entering a tougher hiring environment than last year's class. "There are jobs," says Wall Street Journal reporter Lindsay Ellis, but "it is a longer journey than many soon-to-be college grads would like."
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

How low unemployment lifts workers at the bottom

Mar 29, 2023
In "Moving the Needle: What Tight Labor Markets Do for the Poor," authors Newman and Jacobs advocate letting tight labor markets stay that way.
"When unemployment goes below about 4.5%, folks who've been out of work find work and keep work," said author Elisabeth Jacobs.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

If it's the first Friday of the month, there must be a jobs report, right? Wrong.

Mar 3, 2023
A rule that makes the underlying data more consistent has delayed February's report by a week.
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How the (weak) ties that bind can aid your job prospects

Dec 26, 2022
A social science theory dives into the mechanics of who you know.
The theory of the "strength of weak ties" notes that acquaintances — more than close connections — can benefit your job hunt.
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Job gains for people with disabilities are outpacing those for other groups, thanks to telework

Dec 7, 2022
People with disabilities have long asked to work from home, says Nicole Maestas of Harvard. The pandemic proved it can be done.
Increased telework opportunities have allowed people with disabilities to make employment gains.
Christophe Archambault/AFP via Getty Images

Job churn is settling back to pre-pandemic levels

Dec 2, 2022
A lot of people have been quitting their jobs ever since the pandemic started, thanks in part to the tight labor market. But lately, there are signs that job churn could be returning to its pre-pandemic level.
Job churn has been up since the pandemic started, as many people quit or changed jobs.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The job market's still tight, and wages are still rising

Dec 2, 2022
Wages were 5.1% higher this November than last, and the unemployment rate stayed steady at 3.7%.
Wages went up again – 5.1% over last year, according to Friday's jobs report.