Job Creation | featured news

In the wake of a new jobs report showing increased unemployment, President Obama today said the steps his administration has taken to improve the economy are working, but not fast enough. He called on Congress to pass a small business bill and said he would announce next week a broader set of ideas to accelerate job creation.

A majority of Americans believes President Barack Obama has neglected job creation and economic fears are weighing heavily on Democrats ahead of November 2 elections, a Reuters-Ipsos poll found on Tuesday.

The gubernatorial candidate criticizes her rival for not offering a plan to boost employment and unveils a 34-page booklet on the issue, which she plans to mail to voters statewide.

The issue of employment dominated the race for governor Thursday as Meg Whitman slashed rival Jerry Brown for failing to offer a plan to create jobs while she unveiled a glossy, 34-page booklet on the subject that she plans to mail to voters across California.

A new US government report shows the Recovery Act created around 3 million jobs, more than expected.

Employers added 431,000 nonfarm jobs, the biggest monthly increase in a decade, but most of the reported growth was in government jobs.

In a sign that the state's struggling labor market may be strengthening, 14,200 positions were added by employers in April, the second straight month of expansion.

The White House said the economic stimulus bill created or saved about 2.5 million jobs through the first quarter, mostly as a result of tax relief and financial assistance to lower- and middle-income families.

President Obama's top economic adviser said Sunday he believes Congress will pass new oversight rules for the financial industry. Lawrence Summers also said putting even more Americans back to work is a White House "preoccupation."

Though the unemployment rate remained steady at 9.7 percent, the overall employment picture was greatly improved, with positive revisions to January and February.

President Obama signed a jobs bill into law on Thursday, but declared that the measure “is by no means enough.”