Unemployment, Jobless | featured news

The state is borrowing $40 million a day from the federal government to provide assistance to jobless workers, but has resisted changing the formulas it uses to determine and fund those benefits.California's fund for paying unemployment insurance is broke.

New claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to a three-month low, hinting at some improvement in the listless labor market.

The state, which has the third-highest unemployment rate in the nation, lost 63,500 jobs in September. In Los Angeles County, the unemployment rate was 12.6%, up from 12.2% a year ago. California's economy continued to suffer in September as employers cut jobs from payrolls and the state's unemployment rate remained steady at 12.4%.

Employers appear to be laying off workers again as the economic recovery weakens. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November.

The new estimates paint a grim unemployment picture as the economy experiences a relatively jobless recovery.

New U.S. claims for jobless benefits climbed more steeply than anticipated last week, according to a Labor Department report on Thursday that further underlined the drag on economic activity from persistently weak job markets.

The unsavory task of explaining why America apparently can't afford to help the unemployed but can afford tax cuts for the rich fell to Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) on Sunday.

Despite impressive earnings, all the good news from big business hasn't translated into much promise for jobless Americans.

Already grappling with a surge in claims for unemployment insurance, recession-weary state labor departments are also now dealing with increased fraud.

The Senate failed to pass an extension of federal unemployment benefits last night on a vote of 58-41. The Senate's fourth attempt this month to pass an extension of federal unemployment benefits failed a cloture vote last night.