Unemployment, Laid-off Workers | featured news

Analysts had expected an increase. The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped unexpectedly last week, the Labor Department reported today, a sign the job market is healing as the economy slowly recovers.

The tally of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly for the fifth straight week, a hopeful sign that the job market is slowly improving....

The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to the lowest level in over a year.

About one million laid-off workers will see their benefits end in January unless federally paid extensions get renewed.