New filings for jobless benefits continued to beat market estimates to the upside, falling 1.9% to 256,000 for the week ending July 23. Given that the labor market is the main force keeping the economy from descending toward an economic trough, the initial jobless claims data released Thursday add ... READ MORE >
employment
Reimagining the workforce for the digital age: An RSM and U.S. Chamber discussion
Click to watch the webcast As the pandemic has convulsed America’s real economy, middle market businesses have had to contend with profound changes to their workforces, said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist of RSM US, and Neil Bradley, chief policy officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The ... READ MORE >
Although U.S. jobs report outshined Canada’s, Canadian outlook remains promising
Recent jobs reports have left some Canadians feeling out in the cold, especially when comparing numbers to our neighbors in the United States. However, as the initial shock of the Feb. 4 Canadian jobs report wears off, it’s clear that Canada is still firmly on the road to strong economic growth in 2022 ... READ MORE >
ADP jobs report: Service sector led an upside surprise in December
Private businesses in the United States added 807,000 jobs in December, the most since May, pointing to a stronger rebound of the labor market, according to a report from ADP on Wednesday. The increase, which handily beat estimates of about 410,000 new jobs, was broad-based, with the largest gains ... READ MORE >
Staffing firms thrive amid wage inflation and labor shortages
Staffing firms continue to adapt to challenges caused by the pandemic, becoming more agile and tapping into new revenue streams while finding ways to increase employee productivity. Firms are benefiting from wage inflation, strong mergers and acquisitions activity, and previous investments, according to ... READ MORE >
Canada’s employment is back to pre-pandemic levels
Most of Canada’s employment statistics in September returned to pre-pandemic levels, clear good news of a recovery, according to data released by Statistics Canada on Friday. Canada added an encouraging 157,000 jobs in September, bringing its total employment to just over the February 2020 level. In a ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Consumer confidence is sign of good things to come
The June reading of the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index is a sign of good things to come with respect to hiring and spending in months ahead. The index increased to 127.3 in June from a revised up 120 in May. The topline index is traditionally interpreted as a forward-looking indicator of ... READ MORE >
U.S. June employment report: Look for robust hiring above 750,000
We expect a total change in employment of 750,000 and a decline in the unemployment rate to 5.6% in the U.S. June employment report. The major economic narrative to emerge from the summer hiring reports will likely be that consumers are flush with cash and pivoting to demand services, which will bolster ... READ MORE >
Pandemic pressures leave women struggling to regain lost ground on jobs
During the pandemic, women have taken the brunt of the damage to the labor force, whether in the form of losing their jobs or working triple-duty at home with child care and education on top of their work obligations. Real wage differentials between men and women during the pandemic have turned into a ... READ MORE >
Labor market update: Signs of normalization as long-term challenges persist
The U.S. labor market is showing signs of optimism that might best be described as hedging its bets—confident that the vaccination program will eventually allow for the reemergence of the normal workplace, but recognizing that it may not take just a snap of the fingers to get there. The surge in job ... READ MORE >