2.3 million children have a long-term jobless parent, By Jennifer Liberto, January 14, 2014, CNNMoney: “More than 2.3 million children currently live with a long-term unemployed parent. That’s three times more than in 2007, according to research by the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. The report comes as Congress considers whether to extend recession-era jobless benefits. Federal unemployment benefits ended on Dec. 28, cutting off 1.3 million workers, many of whom are parents…”
Unemployment benefits won’t be extended until at least late January as Senate deadlocks, By Paul Kane, January 14, 2014, Washington Post: “Negotiations to extend emergency benefits for the long-term jobless deadlocked in the Senate on Tuesday. That leaves more than 1.3 million people without federal unemployment aid at least until late January, when lawmakers are likely to resume consideration of the legislation. Democrats and Republicans accused each other of bad-faith negotiations, and by late Tuesday they had rejected each other’s latest proposal. After parliamentary votes to advance the legislation failed, senators moved on to debating the bill to fund government agencies through 2014. Congress leaves town Friday for a weeklong recess and will return Jan. 27, the earliest that new talks could provide a breakthrough on an unemployment plan…”
Why 6.7 percent unemployment isn’t good news, By Christopher S. Rugaber (AP), January 10, 2014, Christian Science Monitor: “U.S. employers added a scant 74,000 jobs in December, the fewest in three years. The disappointing figure ends 2013 on a weak note and raises questions about whether the job market can sustain its recent gains. The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate fell from 7 percent in November to 6.7 percent, the lowest level since October 2008. But the drop occurred mostly because many discouraged Americans stopped looking for jobs. Once people without jobs stop looking for one, the government no longer counts them as unemployed…”
Economy added 74,000 jobs in weak December report; jobless rate down to 6.7%, By Ylan Q. Mui, January 10, 2014, Washington Post: “The U.S. economy added a meager 74,000 jobs in December, according to government data released Friday morning, the latest stumble in the nation’s sputtering recovery from recession. The Labor Department also reported the unemployment rate dropped to 6.7 percent as the workforce shrunk once again — reversing the previous month’s gains. Driving the decline was the number of people who gave up looking for work, possibly deterred by a combination of cold weather, the holiday season and the expiration of long-term unemployment benefits…”
More of the jobless are giving up on finding work, By Chis Isidore, January 10, 2014, CNNMoney: “The unemployment rate fell to 6.7% in December — the first time it’s been below 7% in five years. But the drop was for all the wrong reasons. The rate fell because many people got fed up, stopped looking for work and dropped out of the labor force altogether. (The jobless have to be actively looking for work in order to be counted as unemployed by the Labor Department.) In December, 347,000 people dropped out of the workforce. That pushed the participation rate, which is the percentage of the population in the labor force, down to 62.8%. That’s the lowest it’s been since early 1978…”
Poor jobs stats underscore prolonged unemployment benefits fight, By Stephanie Condon, January 10, 2014, CBS News: “The Labor Department’s surprisingly weak December jobs report prompted the White House, labor unions and others to scold Congress on Friday for failing to renew emergency benefits for the long-term unemployed. Jason Furman, chairman of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, said in a statement that the new figures are ‘a reminder of the work that remains, especially on one of our nation’s most immediate and pressing challenges: long-term unemployment.’ The latest jobs report shows that employers added only 74,000 jobs in December, well below what was expected. The unemployment rate declined to 6.7 percent, from 7 percent, because many people stopped looking for work. Nearly 38 percent of unemployed workers have been without a job for six months or more, proving that long-term unemployment is ‘far from solved,’ Furman said in his statement…”
Long-term unemployed face life without emergency benefits, By Rebecca Kaplan, December 28, 2013, CBS News: “On Saturday, approximately 1.3 million Americans who have been unemployed for weeks, months or years are waking up to a grim reality: a steady supply of cash assistance through the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program has been cut off, and as of right now, no help is on the horizon…”
Unemployment benefits end for 86,900 in Pennsylvania, By Ann Belser, December 31, 2013, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “The year is starting with a social safety net disappearing for 86,900 unemployed Pennsylvanians. Congress allowed the legislation authorizing emergency unemployment compensation, the federal extension of unemployment benefits, to expire as of Monday…”
Long-term jobless voice fears as unemployment checks end, By Emily Heffter and Kyung M. Song, January 2, 2014, Seattle Times: “After working for 14 years as a billing specialist, Uzorigwe Alintah has not earned a paycheck for a year. He is among many in the Seattle area and one of 4.1 million nationwide — nearly 40 percent of the 10.9 million jobless — who have been unemployed for more than six months. This week, Alintah joined another unenviable group: He is among the millions who are out of work but no longer receiving unemployment benefits…”
US economy losing ‘up to a $1bn a week’ after jobless benefits cut, By Paul Lewis, January 3, 2014, The Guardian: “The US economy is losing up to a billion dollars a week because of the ‘fiscally irresponsible’ decision to end long-term unemployment benefits, a Harvard economist said on Friday. Professor Lawrence Katz based his assessment on official forecasts of the impact to the economy of 1.3 million jobless Americans losing benefits…”
