Unemployment Trends And Stats

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits edged higher last week, but a trend reading dropped to its lowest in five years and pointed to ongoing healing in the labor market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 336,000, the Labor...

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Pink slips went out Monday to nearly 250 workers and more than 2,500 others were notified that they face furloughs of several weeks at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site, where cleanup is likely to be slowed because of automatic federal budget cuts. About 9,000 people work at...

By Matt Egan Fresh off its $1.92 billion money laundering settlement, British banking giant HSBC reportedly is nearing a decision to further slash costs by axing another 5,000 jobs. According to the Financial Times, the London-based lender is "gearing up" for thousands more layoffs that could be outlined at an...

WASHINGTON -- Fewer Americans sought unemployment aid last week, reducing the average number of weekly applications last month to a five-year low. The drop shows that fewer layoffs are strengthening the job market. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications fell 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted...

NEW YORK - The nation's most far-reaching effort to stop employers from shunning out-of-work job applicants has become law in New York City. The City Council voted Wednesday to override Mayor Michael Bloomberg's veto. It makes New York the fourth place in the country with some form of a law against...

It won't be news to many that the optimism in the economy -- more spending, more investing, rising housing prices, and a soaring stock market -- hasn't trickled down to the unemployed. While companies are posting more vacancies, they're not hiring to fill them all. In fact, employers are taking much longer to...

ATLANTIC CITY -- Notice has gone out that more than 1,400 employees could face layoffs at Atlantic City's Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. Officials say the notice is a formality in advance of the sale of Trump Plaza to the Meruelo Group for $20 million. State law requires 60 days' notice of closings and layoffs.

NEW YORK -- Google is cutting an additional 1,200 jobs in its Motorola division as the unprofitable cellphone maker struggles to compete. Last summer, Google Inc. announced 4,000 Motorola job cuts. The latest reductions are in addition to those and will be in countries including the U.S., China and...

By Christopher S. Rugaber WASHINGTON -- U.S. employers ramped up hiring in February, adding 236,000 jobs and pushing the unemployment rate down to 7.7 percent from 7.9 percent in January. Stronger hiring shows businesses are confident about the economy, despite higher taxes and government spending cuts.