Jobless | featured news

Employers appear to be laying off workers again as the economic recovery weakens. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November.

A majority of Americans believes President Barack Obama has neglected job creation and economic fears are weighing heavily on Democrats ahead of November 2 elections, a Reuters-Ipsos poll found on Tuesday.

The new estimates paint a grim unemployment picture as the economy experiences a relatively jobless recovery.

Congress is one House vote away from resuming unemployment payments to millions of people whose benefits have lapsed as the nation suffers through a wretched job market.

New U.S. claims for jobless benefits climbed more steeply than anticipated last week, according to a Labor Department report on Thursday that further underlined the drag on economic activity from persistently weak job markets.

The Senate voted on Wednesday to reinstate unemployment benefits for about 2.5 million Americans whose checks were cut off in recent months due to a partisan standoff over deficit spending.

The jobless rate in 39 states and Washington, D.C. fell in June compared to the prior month, the Labor Department said. Just five states saw unemployment rate increases.

It's a common sight in communist Cuba. Here, nearly everyone works for the state and official unemployment is minuscule, but pay is so low that Cubans like to joke that "the state pretends to pay us and we pretend to work."

The unsavory task of explaining why America apparently can't afford to help the unemployed but can afford tax cuts for the rich fell to Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) on Sunday.

Despite impressive earnings, all the good news from big business hasn't translated into much promise for jobless Americans.