UnemploymentBenefits

New Unemployment Aid Applications Hold Steady

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at 370,000, a number low enough to suggest steady gains in the job market. Applications for benefits are near the lowest levels in four years.

Unemployment Report Signals a Mild Slowdown in Hiring

The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits suggests hiring is slowing. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications for initial jobless benefits dipped last week by 2,000, but that was only after it revised the previous week's number upward by 8,000.

Unemployment Applications Drop to a 4-Year Low

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell to the lowest point in almost four years last week, the latest signal that the job market is steadily improving. Weekly applications for unemployment benefits dropped 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 348,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Fewer Seek Unemployment Aid as Job Market Improves

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to a level that signaled a steadily improving job market. The figures came one day before the government is expected to report that January marked another solid month for hiring.

Job Market Brightens as Unemployment Claims Sink

Far fewer people are seeking unemployment benefits than just three months ago %u2014 a sign that layoffs are falling sharply. The number of people applying for benefits fell last week to 366,000, the fewest since May 2008. If the number stayed that low consistently, it would likely signal that hiring is strong enough to lower unemployment.

New Jobless Claims Drop to 9-Month Low

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in nine months, the latest evidence that the job market is improving. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications dropped by 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 381,000. That's the lowest number of applications since late February.

Slightly More People Seek Unemployment Benefits

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits ticked up slightly last week after two months of steady declines. But the increase isn't enough to reverse the downward trend. The four-week average of applications, a less volatile measure, fell to its lowest level since April. The decline in the average signals that companies are laying off fewer workers.

Unemployment Aid Applications Drop to 7-Month Low

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level since early April, a sign that layoffs are easing and hiring may pick up. Weekly applications dropped by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 388,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. It was the fourth decline in five weeks.

Unemployment Aid Hits 7-Month Low, Trade Gap Falls

The outlook for American jobs and trade looked a little brighter Thursday, despite growing uncertainty overseas. The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell to a seasonally adjusted 390,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's the fewest since April.

Banks Extract Fees On Unemployment Benefits

Out of work and living on a $189-a-week unemployment check, Rob Linville needs to watch every penny. Lately, he has been watching too many pennies disappear into the coffers of the bank that administers his unemployment check via a prepaid debit card.

Assuring Half Your Income When Your Job Goes Away

State unemployment insurance provides money to out-of-work adults, but for most people, those checks are hardly enough to cover the bills. Enter IncomeAssure, a supplemental unemployment insurance policy that lifts your benefit to 50% of your former income for 24 weeks. Is it a product you should consider?

The Financial Landscape: Is Italy the Next Greece?

As the eurozone sovereign debt crisis continues, focus is shifting to Italy as the next potential victim. But for worries closer to home, consider this: $37 billion in U.S. government benefits designed to help people through the downturn will expire by the end of 2011, leaving a hole twice that size in the economy.