Jobless Claims Fall to Lowest Level in Nearly 5½ Years
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to its lowest level in nearly 5½ years last week, despite federal budget cuts.
employers
'My Company's Doing Great! But I Think I'm Going to Lose My Job.'
Nearly 1-in-5 employees are worried that they'll be laid off in the next six months, despite their confidence that their company's outlook will improve during the same period.
Jobless Claims Plummet to 5-Year Low
The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week to its lowest level since the early days of the 2007-09 recession.
Low-Wage Workers See Little Reason for Optimism, Survey Finds
Low-wage workers, those earning $35,000 or less annually, are generally pessimistic about their finances and career prospects, a new survey finds.
Employers Caught Off Guard by 'Unfair' Health-Care Fee
Next year, most big employers will owe $63 for every employee they insure, with the money going into a $25 billion fund -- and they're not happy about it.
Can Poor Credit Cost You a Job? A Recent Study Says Yes
For many of the most desperately unemployed, credit checks may be standing between them and a job, a new study shows.
July Jobs Report: 4 Pieces Of Good News Buried In The Gloom
As the Labor Department reported, employers added 163,000 jobs last month -- far more than the 100,000 forecast and the biggest gain since February. But the nation's unemployment rate ticked up to 8.3 percent. Here are four pieces of good news buried in the report.
Social Recruiting: The Next Big Thing for Job Seekers
When it comes to finding your next employer, online job boards are out and social recruiting is in, says Robert McGovern, CEO of JobFox.com, a free website that enables job seekers to tap into private hiring networks. We chat with McGovern about the new era of online job hunting.
The Sorry State of America's Wage Earners
Everyone knows that the typical American household has been running in place or falling behind financially, thanks to stagnant wages and rising prices. But a new study from the the Economic Policy Institute shows that the problem has been endemic not for years, but for decades.
How Much Does Your Name Affect Where You Work?
Names define us, but do they determine our life choices? The idea that our names can influence those decisions is what psychologists call "implicit egotism." To test the concept, a recent study looked at how our names might affect where we choose to work. And what did the researchers find...?
Fewer Americans Get Employer Health Insurance
Amid high unemployment rates and rising health-care costs, a smaller proportion of Americans -- less than 45% -- are getting health insurance from their employers, according to a recent Gallup survey.
People@Work: Now, Governments Are Shifting Pension Burdens Onto Workers
During the past three decades, businesses of all sizes have shifted away from traditional defined-benefit plans to defined-contribution plans, also known as 401(k)s. Now, states and local governments are doing the same, even though many workers lack the necessary investing savvy.
Employers Win Workers
With Perks, Not Raises
To retain and attract top employees, U.S. companies are turning to perks such as subsidized training and flexible work conditions rather than raises. These incentives are finding a welcome among employees, too, especially educational benefits.
People@Work: Wisconsin Picks the Wrong Scapegoat for Its Budget Woes
The notion that somehow public workers' pay packages are breaking the state budget just don't hold up. These workers' entire compensation package -- salary, health care, pensions, etc. -- make up a tiny fraction of Wisconsin's spending.
People@Work: Collective-Bargaining Rights Are at Stake in Wisconsin
Since the 1930s, when the National Labor Relations Board was established, no state has ever sought to prohibit workers from organizing. But in Wisconsin, collective-bargaining rights are under "assault," in President Obama's words. And other states are watching.