Jarred by new jobless alarms, Congress quickly approved legislation Thursday to keep unemployment checks flowing through the holidays in December and into the new year for a million or more laid-off Americans whose benefits are running out. ...more

November 21, 2008

New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to a 16-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday, providing more evidence of a rapidly weakening job market expected to get even worse next year. ...more

November 20, 2008

The number of out-of-work Americans continuing to draw unemployment benefits has surged to a 25-year high. Shoppers also turned extra frugal, further proof of the damage from the sinking economy, credit problems and financial stresses. ...more

November 7, 2008

Momentum is building for a fresh dose of economic stimulants to boost the country out of the doldrums - perhaps by putting more money in Americans' pockets. The White House said Monday that President Bush was open to some sort of action after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned the slump could drag on without the extra bracing tonic. ...more

October 21, 2008

After consulting with Barack Obama, Democratic leaders are likely to call Congress back to work after the election in hopes of passing legislation that would include extended jobless benefits, money for food stamps and possibly a tax rebate, officials said Saturday. ...more

October 12, 2008

New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to their highest level in seven years because of the impact of a slowing economy and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the Labor Department reported Thursday. ...more

September 26, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to their highest level in seven years due to the impact of a slowing economy and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the Labor Department reported Thursday. ...more

September 25, 2008

This Labor Day finds workers in worse shape than they've been in years, according to a scorecard released today by Rutgers University. ...more

September 1, 2008

Reports of rising inflation and weak gains in wages kept the paycheck struggles of Americans at the center of the presidential campaign Friday. ...more

June 14, 2008

The stimulus checks are working. A big increase in retail sales signaled that people are spending their rebate payments, helping to ward off a serious economic slump, at least for now. ...more

June 13, 2008