January is usually peak job-hunting season.
But it doesn’t account for those who’ve stopped looking for work.
Small business owners are getting burned out making hiring and firing decisions while cash flow is weak and uncertainty reigns.
The figures suggest employers have rehired roughly all the workers they can afford to after laying off more than 22 million.
Cards are usually cheaper than checks. Unless there’s a dispute.
Two pandemic programs briefly expired. It could have meant billions in lost relief for one week — but it didn’t.
Seasonal gains in temporary jobs are behind last year’s pace.
When they’re ready to start hiring, businesses have to consider costs and legal issues.
Before the virus struck, applications typically numbered around 225,000 a week before shooting up to 6.9 million in early spring.
The $900 billion in relief was a compromise that may not compensate for the prolonged economic hardship.
