Wages Took a Rare Decline in First Quarter

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Sep 8, 2016 January through March, the average weekly wage in the US fell 05 percent from last year -- just the seventh such annual decline dating back to 1978, according to the U Labor Department5 percent from last year—just the seventh such annual decline dating back to 1978, according to the U. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Paychecks Shrink Even as U.S. Economy Adds Jobs

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Mar 7, 2016 U.S. industry added 242,000 jobs in February—but the major gains were in low-wage industries, and average hourly earnings dropped 3 cents. And unemployment rates remained far higher for minorities than for whites. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Economy Adds Too Few Jobs in September

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Oct 2, 2015 Employers added a mere 142,000 jobs in September, the Labor Department announced Friday, suggesting that the U.S. economy is losing momentum after a second month of lackluster growth. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

How the Labor Department Has Let Companies Off the Hook for Unpaid Internships

Staff / Truthdig Apr 10, 2014 Four years ago, the Labor Department clarified the rules that make unpaid internships legal, but employers continue to enjoy lax enforcement and free labor. Dig deeper ( 12 Min. Read )

Extend Their Benefits and They Still Take Jobs

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig May 9, 2013 New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco shows that long-term jobless people whose unemployment benefits were extended at the start of the recession did not become unwilling to work. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Employment Numbers Get an Unexpected Bump in January

Staff / Truthdig Feb 4, 2012 The first month of 2012 turned out to be the best in three years in terms of the ongoing unemployment crisis in the U.S. Although 8.3 percent is nothing to get too excited about, it was supposed to tally up at 8.5 percent for January, so we'll take it. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Don’t Laud the Jobless Drop

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2011 November’s dip in the official unemployment rate is nothing to clap about. Scrutiny of the details reveals that the new figure of 8.6 percent is due mostly to 315,000 Americans dropping out of the search for work, and most of the newly created positions were low-paying ones. That includes temporary jobs created to support the spike in commerce that comes with the holiday season. (more) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Labor Dept. Poised to Recognize Gay Parents as Parents

Staff / Truthdig Jun 22, 2010 Sources tell AP that the Labor Department is about to extend the Family and Medical Leave Act to include same-sex baby-daddies and -mamas. Employers would be required to give up to 12 weeks of leave a year, as they already do for straight couples. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

First-Time Jobless Claims Jump Again

Staff / Truthdig Feb 5, 2010 Another indicator that Congress needs to get to work on the country's pressing unemployment problem came in the form of a Labor Department report showing a spike in the number of first-time filers for unemployment benefits last week, according to The Associated Press. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Jobless Claims Drop

Staff / Truthdig Dec 31, 2009 The Labor Department announced Thursday that fewer Americans than anticipated have filed unemployment benefit claims this month, potentially pointing to a less substantial unemployment population and maybe, just maybe, better economic growth in 2010. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

November Surprise: Job Loss Eases

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2009 In a sign that the U.S. economy's two-year job-molting cycle might be coming to an end, the Labor Department reported Friday that just 11,000 American jobs were lost in November and that the unemployment rate had fallen back to 10 percent. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Jobs Report Indicates Economic Cool Down

Staff / Truthdig Jun 2, 2006 Weak employment gains in May (only 75,000 net new jobs) may be a sign of a faltering economy. According to NYT: "Anything below about 150,000 net new jobs a month is regarded as too slow to keep up with population growth, so in effect, workers are losing ground." (story | job report) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )