Jobless claims

Many economists expect to see job prospects, and economic growth, improve in the coming months as vaccinations pick up and virus concerns ease further.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that low-wage earners, minorities and women are suffering the most and could face “permanent” damage from a prolonged slowdown.

In the coming months, as more Americans get inoculated and virus cases fall, economic activity is poised to resume and job cuts may decline further.

Experts see powerful employment gains over the next three years that evade the curse of past recessions. If they’re right, millions of Americans will leap back into the workforce as soon as vaccines against the coronavirus roll out.

Prolonged unemployment harms physical and mental well-being, traps workers in poverty and increases family stress, according to studies.

Persistently high jobless claims, along with this week’s announcements of tens of thousands of layoffs, indicate widespread economic pain.

Chances of further employment and economic gains are diminishing without the widespread stimulus payments and small-business aid that have sustained incomes and spending.

School closures will continue to impact the labor force participation rate for women, who generally take on a greater share of childcare obligations.

Initial jobless claims in regular state programs fell by 249,000 to 1.19 million in the week ended Aug. 1, Labor Department data showed Thursday.

Initial jobless claims in regular state programs fell by 99,000 一 the most in a month 一 to 1.31 million in the week ended July 4, Labor Department data showed Thursday.