January's strong jobs report says more people have come off the sidelines to go to work

Feb 4, 2022
Many older people returned to work, but the recovery isn't as strong for people of color and women.
The federal jobs report surprised forecasters, showing that people are returning to work and fewer left the workforce than believed.
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Despite near-record high job openings, workers of color or those without higher education are still at a disadvantage in the job market.
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Indigenous workers have been hit hard by COVID-19. But Friday's jobs report won't reflect that.

Feb 1, 2022
American Indians and Alaska Natives aren't included in the monthly report, so they are often left out of discussions on economic well-being in the U.S.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics collects data for its monthly jobs report by talking to businesses and individuals. Some folks it doesn't talk to? American Indians and Alaska Natives.
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Consumers confidence drags while economy takes a roller coaster ride

Jan 31, 2022
Higher wages and low unemployment are good news to people. Inflation isn't.
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How much of our labor force has been lost to COVID-19?

Jan 24, 2022
According to one expert, COVID deaths and workers left on the sidelines from long COVID account for 18% of unfilled jobs.
New data show that hourly wages are up by 5.6 percent on average as of March, but employees are demanding more from employers in a strong labor market.
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First-time jobless claims rise — and worse may be yet to come

Jan 20, 2022
Analysts say businesses are under pressure and economic confidence has suffered.
The 311,000 number is higher than most predictions, while unemployment rose from 3.4% to 3.6%.
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Consumer sentiment takes another hit in December

Jan 14, 2022
University of Michigan data shows inflation is starting to bite more for consumers at the low end of the income spectrum.
How consumers feel about the economy versus their own personal economic outlooks are two very different stories.
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Surveys of employers, households paint 2 pictures of the job market

Jan 7, 2022
Despite a disappointing jobs report, the news is still pretty good.
Fewer jobs than expected were added to December payrolls. That can be partly explained by the difficulty in hiring workers these days.
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When it comes to the booming job market, not all states are created equal

Jan 5, 2022
States that weren't hit as hard by the pandemic slowdown have already mostly recovered.
States that rely on tourism, like Hawaii, were among the hardest hit economically by COVID-19 but have had strong rebounds. Above, beachgoers in Honolulu.
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What job trends will the new year bring?

Dec 30, 2021
The economy is growing and employers are still looking for workers, and that trend will probably continue for awhile.
The U.S. economy added 528,000 jobs in July, according to the latest jobs report, far outpacing expectations.
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