Labor Costs

WASHINGTON -- U.S. companies got slightly more out of their workers this spring after scaling back on hiring. The modest 1.6 percent annualized gain in productivity from April through June signals employers may need to hire more if demand picks up. The Labor Department said Wednesday that the increase ...

By Martin Crutsinger WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. workers increased their productivity over the summer by the most in a year and a half but the gain was smaller than initially thought. The Labor Department says productivity rose at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the July-September quarter. That was slower ...

By Martin Crutsinger WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. workers increased their productivity this summer by the largest amount in a year and half, and they cost their employers less. The trend is good for corporate profits but not necessarily for job growth. The Labor Department says productivity rose at an annual ...

New claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, but not enough to assuage fears the labor market recovery has taken a step back. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 422,000, the Labor Department said Thursday, less than economists' expectations for a ...