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Strong, stable labor market may signal new normal to Federal Reserve

Mar 21, 2024
Unemployment claims fell last week. Despite relatively high interest rates, they're below pre-pandemic levels and near historic lows.
Job cuts have been concentrated at big tech and finance companies, said Andy Challenger at Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Above, Fed Chair Jerome Powell at his news conference Wednesday.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Recent immigrants have filled labor gaps, boosted job creation, experts say

Mar 15, 2024
There has been a wave of migration to the U.S. — legal and not — since 2022. Many who entered are finding and keeping jobs.
In 2022 and 2023, 5.9 million people migrated to the U.S., according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Signs point to a labor market that's cooling, but not cold

Mar 6, 2024
Private employers added 140,000 jobs in February and January’s job openings didn’t budge — though they were down from mid-2023.
In December and January, the economy added nearly 700,000 new jobs.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Labor costs are still going up, but the rate is going down

Feb 1, 2024
Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2023 saw a pullback in labor cost growth. That may keep the downtrend in inflation going.
The pace of wage growth pulled back last year, which could constrain price increases across the economy in 2024.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

How expensive fast food can explain rising economic equality

Jan 17, 2024
Fast food workers' wages are up as much as 30% since 2020. That has had real costs for businesses, but real benefits for society.
In the fast food sector, where many workers in the bottom 10% of the income distribution are employed, wages went up by 5.7% when adjusted for inflation between 2020 and 2022, says Eric Levitz of Vox.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

It's been 4 years since the pandemic began. Here's what the new normal looks like.

Jan 4, 2024
Even if we're back to statistical "norms," remote employment, widespread freelancing and worker activism have changed the landscape.
One big change: more people working remotely or for themselves.
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Unemployment claims are at their lowest number since January

Sep 21, 2023
The labor market is still pretty tight, even after the last year and a half of rate hikes loosened things a bit.
Even without big hiring expansions, there are still more jobs out there than workers available to fill them.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

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Labor market weakens for young, less educated workers

Sep 8, 2023
What that might mean for them and for the economy at large.
Young adults without diplomas are "canaries in the coal mine," said Bill Rodgers at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. "When the economy slows down, they tend to be the first ones to lose their jobs.”
John Moore/Getty Images

Women's role in labor force continued to grow in August. Is the trend sustainable?

Sep 4, 2023
The growth was largely driven by working mothers. Flexible and remote jobs help, but the expiration of child care relief funds may hurt.
The growth in the female working population has largely been driven by mothers.
Christian Ender/Getty Images

Name mix-ups and callous HR directors: Employees share how they got laid off

Nov 16, 2022
With tech companies announcing staffing cuts, you shared some of your own experiences surviving layoffs.
One tenure-track professor told us their employer informed them of their layoff by sliding a notice across the table.
Chalirmpoj Pimpisarn/ iStock/Getty Images Plus