unemployment

It's a disturbing statistic. Nearly 6 million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 are not in school or working, according to a new report by the Opportunity Nation coalition.

Applications for US unemployment benefits dropped 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 358,000 last week, though the figure was distorted for the second straight week by California's efforts to clear backlogged claims.

As the economy continues its slow recovery, more people than ever now believe they evolved into the "lower class."

Unemployment is slowly picking up pace in the country, however three-quarters of 2013's new jobs are part-time.

U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in July, a modest increase and the fewest since March. The gain was still enough to help lower the unemployment rate to a 4 1/2-year low of 7.4 percent, a hopeful sign in an otherwise lackluster report.

Employers in New Jersey added 4,600 jobs in June, but the unemployment rate still increased slightly, ending four consecutive months of improvement.

Automatic federal spending cuts brought about as a result of sequestration are trickling down to those who have been out of work for awhile.

The national unemployment rate now stands at 7.6 percent, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports the official employment rate, which represents the percentage of adults who have a job, is holding steady at 58.6 percent.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 343,000 last week, a sign that layoffs remain low and companies are adding a modest number of jobs.

Late last month, State Comptroller Matt Boxer released an audit that identified more than $23 million in benefit payments made to or on behalf of prison inmates who did not appear to be entitled to such payments.