Initial Unemployment Claims
Initial state unemployment claims fell to a seasonally adjusted level of 712,000 for the week ending November 28.
Continued Unemployment Claims
Continued claims decline again but the numbers are deceptive. State claims fall as benefits expire.
Continued claims, like Initial claims, are seasonally adjusted. The rest of the numbers are not adjusted.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Claims (PEUC)
PEUC claims have risen every week since August. PEUC benefits kick in after people have exhausted regular state benefits.
PEUC claims lag continued claims by a week, They are not seasonally adjusted.
Despite the lags and the seasonal adjustment mix, you can get a better feel for the true state of affairs by adding PEU claims to continued claims.
Progress in continued claims is not as good as it looks. But none of it matches the BLS unemployment reports.
PUA Claims
PUA claims cover part-time workers and self-employed. This program is rife with fraud, double-counting, and reporting errors.
All Continued Claims in 2020
All continued claims is the total of everything above except initial claims but the continued claims portion is not seasonally adjusted.
Since it contains PUA claims this number is also rife with fraud, double-counting, and reporting errors.
Expiring Benefits
The PEUC and PUA programs expire on December 26.
Expect Congress to have a package by then, but the details are subject to negotiation.
Democrats and Republicans have been bickering over this since September.
For discussion, please see Desire to Reach a Deal and Doing It are Two Different Things.
Mish
On flight to Madison WI for stepdaughter’s wedding
It was supposed to be a few weeks ago but she caught Covid
Also flying this week – and I am very glad to not have flown anywhere last week. I was looking at airlines and found a couple (Delta, Southwest) that seem to be taking the Covid responsibility seriously and are blocking middle seats. It doesn’t get you very far away from possible neighbors ahead and behind you, but hopefully the vaunted air filtration on the planes that we’ve been hearing about will help. I also got a few N95/KN95 masks along with safety glasses that can cover my glasses.
The airport that I started in was handling things well (from my point of view), although I was again glad I was not traveling on a high-traffic day. Masks were reminded/enforced both in the airports and in the planes. Seating in the airport was marked to remove some seats to provide distance. Floor markings were also present for the TSA lines and the TSA interactions were done through/around plexiglass barriers.
The only questionable item/action that I ran into on the trip was the fact that the airlines are still handing out snacks/drinks. I understand providing a sealed drink, but the more food items you hand out just invites people to remove their masks and then (possibly) forget to put them back on.
If I were you, scared to death as you seem to be, I would safely stay home with doors and windows sealed and the house vacuumed, just in case ….
Still off your meds, I see. Must be very hard to remain so angry for so long.
In any case, outlining the very reasonable actions taken to make flying safer and agreeing with over 90% of it doesn’t seem to jive with your reaction to my post. Again – maybe you should check into your med levels.
Congratulations. Hope the Big Day goes well. Best wishes to the bride and groom.
Burglaries are apparently up in McMansion land and I’m seeing the residents on next door.com bark like chihuahuas about “packing heat.” ‘tis the season to shoot a man over stuff you left in your car. This should get interesting as more people get desperate.
Sad but true.
Landscapers have an endless supply of jobs in our area, and can’t find help. Yes, it is hard work…and you don’t get rich, but you can do $20 plus per hour plus decent benefits. At some point people need pushed off unemployment so there is a workforce in the trades. You might not make what you once did, but you can earn a respectable living.
Must be running out of non-essential employees to let go.