Unemployment Claims Hit 4-Month High Ahead of May Jobs Report

The highly anticipated May payrolls report is expected to reaffirm modest hiring momentum.

A hiring sign at a store in Norfolk, Va., on Oct. 5, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits reached a four-month high, according to new Department of Labor data released on June 4. 

Initial jobless claims increased by 13,000 to 225,000 for the week ending May 30. This represented the highest level since the first week of February, when the U.S. economy was digging out from a severe winter storm.