Applications for Unemployment Aid Remain High
- Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:48am by
Billy Hallowell
- Print »
- Email »
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people applying for unemployment benefits was mostly unchanged last week. A slight dip in applications suggests the job market isn’t getting much better.
Applications ticked down 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 404,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.
The four-week average, a less volatile measure, declined for the third straight week to 408,000. That’s the lowest average in eight weeks.
Still, applications are higher than they would be in a healthy economy. They need to fall consistently below 375,000 to signal sustainable job growth. They haven’t been below that level since February.
The report suggests that layoffs have declined in recent weeks. Weekly unemployment applications are a barometer of layoffs. But other data show hiring hasn’t picked up.
Employers pulled back on hiring this spring, after rising gas prices cut into consumer spending and Japan’s March 11 earthquake disrupted supply chains, which slowed U.S. auto production.
In recent months, gas prices have eased slightly and supply chains are flowing more freely. Yet hiring hasn’t improved much. Employers have added an average of only 72,000 jobs in the past five months. That’s far below the 125,000 per month needed to keep up with population growth. And it’s down from an average of 180,000 in the first four months of this year.
In September, the economy generated 103,000 net jobs. That’s enough to calm recession fears, but it is far from what is needed to lower the unemployment rate, which stayed at 9.1 percent for the third straight month.
Without more jobs and higher pay increases, consumers are likely to keep spending cautiously. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity.
On Wednesday, the Labor Department said companies posted fewer jobs in August than the previous month, the first decline in four months. Economists said it was another sign that companies are reluctant to hire.
On a positive note, the turmoil didn’t boost job cuts. Employers laid off 1.66 million people in August, the Labor Department’s report said Wednesday. That’s down from July and far below the peak during the recession of 2.5 million.
Comments (18)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
MSNBC Host Snaps in Heated Segment: ‘What in the World Is Riskier Than Being a Poor Person in America?’ 684 Comments
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 647 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 523 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 361 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 316 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 181 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 212 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Scathing New Ad Capitalizes on Rep. Ryan‘s ’Fading Obama Posters’ Remark 124 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 181 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Georgesblog360
Posted on October 15, 2011 at 9:02pmI’ve met many people in the past 30 years that got squeezed out of the economy, long ago. They don’t fill out applications of any kind. There are millions of people who haven’t had a mainstream job in years. They don’t appear in these statistics.
http://georgesblogforum.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/the-real-weapon-of-mass-destruction-poverty-update-10132011/
Report Post »kristywood14
Posted on October 14, 2011 at 7:02amWhen it comes to unemployment it’s been a tale of two recessions, with level of education playing an unprecedented role in whether you’ve been pink slipped or not. Getting a degree from “High Speed Universities” is the only solution
Report Post »peaches1
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 6:44pmThe Libs want to keep the unemployed on the benefit rolls so they can win the election. Then they will dump them in masses.
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 4:30pmWhat’s funny about this whole unemployment thing is, jobs are out there, most people on unemployment aren’t willing to go to work because they are getting a paycheck from the government, and it may be as much as if they actually contributed to society.
Here’s a novel idea, cut off unemployment after 16 weeks and see how many people get off their a$$es and find jobs!
Report Post »dalemay
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 1:06pmI agree that the oil and gas industry could be opened up and provide many jobs. We have to get rid of the government regulations that prevent growth.
Report Post »DR.POP
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 11:54amMy wife has a hand in hiring for several doctors offices and has actually been told that if the job did not pay at least $XX.xx then they would rather just stay home and get unemployment. I would approve of a little gov’t spending to purchase rubber stamps in big red letters that said “CANCELLED”.
Report Post »notmy planet
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:23amTrust me when i say, if you are between 30 and 50, you stand a better chance of hitting the lottery than finding a good job….im in home improvement, this line of work is dead, and i was thriving 5 years ago….
Report Post »cntrlfrk
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:37am‘
The only thing that can reverse this trend is higher taxes, more regulations, and bongo drums.
/
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 11:27amI trust this IS sarcasm ..
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:35amI’ve had guys quit and apply for unemployment! Then you have to have a long drawn out correspondence with some government wonk. Hey, HE QUIT!
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:07amYah, they are all starting to line up for the Jesse Jackson Jr.40 grand! What a mess we are in. HOPE AND CHANGE……
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:27amNaw, This story a just a joust. That can’t be real is it? Oh wait. We have a breed in the WH! Oh My!! His name is Hussein? O’Bambam? Muslim? Then it must be a true story. Oh My!!!
Report Post »Worriedone
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:05amI think it if funny when all the news think that this is such a surprise. They don’t understand that this is the plan. Everyone says how easy it would be to get the country on the right track. The pres has had tons of committees to show him exactly how to do this. The news won’t do any investigation on why. When they have all the resources to figure this out. The plan is to keep more people on entitlements and keep them angry depressed at the government. so when the pres comes up with a bandaid fix at the last minute during the election then most people will vote for him. Then in the second term it is LIGHTS out for the country. So you will see these numbers all the way through the rest of this term. IF this happens then no more FOX news no more GBTV or anyone else that disagrees with this admin. So i suggest everyone on here wake up your neighbor or a stranger cause we are about done as a country.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:02am.
Report Post »Open up the whole country to energy production, and the oil & gas industry will help pull us out of this Obama made depression……….
Blackhawk1
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:02amOh come on AP, where is your state run media word for unemployment numbers you include every week………..UNEXPECTED!
Report Post »ares338
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:56amA lot of people have quit trying and decided to become Democrats so they can get free stuff. Problem solved. See….if everyone got free Obama money we could all hold Hands and shout Marxist slogans…….YEAH?
Report Post »((GB)) FAN
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:53ami’m in those numbers somewhere. but i was self employed and never received a dime from uncle sam he just keeps taking from me.
Report Post »ThankBabyJesus
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:39amHand-crafting bumper stickers, “Obama children’s effort-leave no child with a dime”
Report Post »