Unemployment benefit claims hit 15-year low

Unemployment benefit claims in the last month hit a 15-year low

(Image credit: Spencer Green/AP)

published 21 May 2015

In the four-week period ending May 16, the average number of jobless claims decreased to 266,250, a 15-year low, according to a Labor Department report released Thursday.

Bloomberg notes that the decrease in the average number of Americans who filed for unemployment benefits is "a sign the labor market continues to strengthen." The four-week claim average was the lowest since April 15, 2000.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

"It's indicative of a labor market that's showing no signs of reversal, even if the pace of job growth is going to slow," Eric Green, head of U.S. economic research at TD Securities USA LLC, told Bloomberg.

Explore More

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.