Job Market Shows Mixed Signals as Layoffs Remain Low, Rehiring Slows

There were fewer layoffs last week but many more workers remaining on unemployment rolls, signaling hiring slowdowns and economic uncertainty.

People pass the New York Stock Exchange in New York on July 5. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The U.S. labor market is flashing mixed signals, with a new report showing a seven-month low in the number of weekly initial jobless claims but a three-year high in the number of American workers continuing to receive benefits after an initial filing, signaling fewer layoffs but increasing difficulty getting rehired.

The latest unemployment data from the Labor Department, released on Nov. 21, shows that initial claims for jobless benefits fell by 6,000 to 213,000 for the week ending Nov. 16, marking a seven-month low. However, continuing claims—representing those still receiving benefits after an initial filing—jumped by 36,000 to 1.91 million, the highest level in three years.