Recovery of the domestic labor force continues as the number of unemployed persons per job opening in the United States fell to 1.95 in September while individuals continued to be recalled to work. Given the fact that 906,000 private sector workers were recalled in October with permanent job losses largely unchanged at 4.5 million, it is important to note ... READ MORE >
labor
CHART OF THE DAY: Americans with no job for 27 weeks or more rises sharply
The number of Americans without a job for 27 weeks or more rose in August to the highest level in three years. The reason this matters? Labor market studies by the Federal Reserve show that individuals who experience joblessness for more than 26 weeks face increasing risk of becoming permanently detached from the labor force, contributing to structural ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Weekly initial jobless claims higher than expected
In a sobering surprise, the Labor Department reported on Thursday that initial jobless claims for the week ended Aug. 15 reached a higher-than-expected 1.1 million, a sign the road to economic recovery will be bumpy and volatile as the country struggles to gain footing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bloomberg consensus forecast was for a continued ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Job openings increase, but so does competition for them
Number of unemployed persons per job opening The Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, shows job openings increased in June as the number of available positions rose to 5.89 million, compared with 5.37 million in May. Meanwhile, our chart of the day shows how different the labor market is today, as competition for those ... READ MORE >
Weekly initial jobless claims: Much-needed context as claims rise by 1.5 million
While the pace of first-time jobless claims has declined over the past few weeks, such an improvement is still akin to saying someone has turned down the heat in hell. It is clear that the U.S. labor market remains impaired as first-time jobless claims increased by 1.5 million for the week ending June 13, and continuing claims advanced by 20.5 million for ... READ MORE >
Tech jobs have not been spared in the pandemic, but growth of remote work helps some
Before COVID-19, unemployment in the technology sector was at a five-decade low and was far lower than the overall U.S. unemployment rate. Though unemployment has risen for some parts of the technology sector as the pandemic has gripped the country, companies are still hiring for other roles. Job postings for web developers and applications software ... READ MORE >
State jobless claims continue to decelerate in week ending May 23
Another 2.1 million first-time unemployment claims were processed by state employment agencies for the week ending May 23, with 323,000 less than the prior week but still 10 times the normal amount. Because of the staggering magnitude of initial claims, it seems premature to declare the end of the rush to collect unemployment benefits. Still, only six ... READ MORE >
U.S. added 145,000 jobs in December as women now outnumber men in the workforce
Hiring in the economy closed out the year with a gain of 145,000 jobs in December, making for an overall increase of 2.1 million in 2019, the Labor Department reported on Friday. But most notable in the report was a milestone in the rise of women in the labor force. For the first time since 2010, women comprise the majority of workers, holding 50.04% of ... READ MORE >
Hiring expected to slow in September jobs report
The labor market is expected to continue to lose steam in September, with the total change in employment likely increasing by 115,000 jobs on the month, and the unemployment rate likely rising to 3.8%. Given the slowdown in domestic manufacturing activity and goods production, we note there is downside risk to our top line forecast when the report is ... READ MORE >
Demand for manufacturing workers remains robust, despite May’s decline in U.S. job openings
Manufacturing positions in the United States are among the hardest to fill as the labor market remains tight, a key government report released on Tuesday shows. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey from the Department of Labor shows that manufacturing sector vacancies rose to a record 509,000 in May, from 496,000 in April. The numbers suggest that ... READ MORE >