The number of Americans applying for jobless aid was unchanged last week at 884,000, a sign that layoffs are stuck at a historically high level.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at 884,000, a sign that layoffs are stuck at a historically high level six months after the COVID-19 pandemic flattened the economy.on Thursday still far exceeds the number who sought benefits in any week on record before this year.
But hiring has slowed since June, and a rising number of laid-off workers say they regard their job loss as permanent. Recovery of those jobs will likely take longer to achieve. Jobless people typically find it harder to land work at a new company or in a new industry than to return to a previous employer.The government also said Thursday that 13.4 million people are continuing to receive traditional jobless benefits, up from 13.3 million the previous week.
Last week, the government reported that the nation gained 1.4 million jobs in August, down from 1.7 million in July. It was the lowest monthly gain since hiring resumed in May. The unemployment rate dropped from 10.2% to 8.4%, a reduction that economists said mainly reflected businesses recalling workers who had been temporarily laid off rather than hiring new employees.
The $300-a-week aid program is so far operational in just 12 states, including California, Arizona, Florida and Texas. Some large states such as New York, Michigan and Illinois haven’t yet started paying the money.
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