Record economic plunge, bleak jobs numbers reveal virus toll
The U.S. economy shrank at a dizzying 33% annual rate in the April-June quarter — by far the worst quarterly plunge ever — when the viral outbreak shut down businesses, throwing tens of millions out of work and sending unemployment surging to 14.7%, the government said Thursday.
Struggling merchants, insurers battle over pandemic coverage
Restaurants, bars and other merchants struggling to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic are desperately reaching out for a lifeline from insurers who say they are being miscast as potential saviors.
Second stimulus check details revealed: Who is eligible?
The GOP unveiled details for a second round of direct payments to American households on Monday, in legislation that has been dubbed the HEALS Act.
$600 weekly unemployment benefit ends, but will it be extended? Here’s what you need to know
The $600 weekly boost in jobless aid that millions of people have received since early in the pandemic is set to expire.
White House drops payroll tax cut as GOP unveils virus aid
The White House has dropped a bid to cut Social Security payroll taxes as Republicans unveil a $1 trillion COVID-19 rescue package.
Jobless claims rise as cutoff of extra $600 benefit nears
The number of laid-off Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time since the pandemic struck in March, evidence of the deepening economic pain the outbreak is causing to the economy.
Why are coins hard to find during the pandemic?
The Federal Reserve has seen a significant decline of coins in circulation because people are not spending them as regularly at businesses, many of which are either temporarily closed or not accepting cash.
Renting? Federal eviction relief expires July 24 as Congress debates extension — here’s what you need to know
A federal eviction moratorium is set to expire Friday, which puts many Americans at risk of facing eviction or losing their home.
Another 1.3 million Americans sought unemployment aid last week
The number of laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits remained stuck at 1.3 million last week, a historically high level that indicates many companies are still cutting jobs as the viral outbreak intensifies.
Minnesota's unemployment rate ticks down to 8.6 percent in June
Minnesota's unemployment rate ticked down to 8.6 percent in June, but is nowhere close to returning to pre-pandemic levels. In May, the jobless rate was 9.9 percent, the highest in the state's recorded history. It was 2.9 percent in March before the crisis started. Minnesota reported adding 82,000 jobs in June. The state lost a total of 258,000 jobs between February and May. Fears of another round of business closures and job losses have started anew as the coronavirus flares in several U.S. states. In Minnesota, the infection rate has ticked upward over the past two weeks. Gov. Tim Walz has said he's considering a statewide mask mandate, but has not moved toward new closures.
DEED warns Minnesotans on unemployment that $600 federal payment ends in July
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development alerted Minnesotans receiving unemployment insurance benefits Thursday that the $600 additional federal payment is scheduled to end this month.
Missed the tax deadline? Take these steps now
Here are some steps you can take to keep your penalties to a minimum if you were unable to file by July 15.
Most PPP recipients expect to run out of money by August, study finds
A majority of small businesses that tapped the taxpayer-funded Paycheck Protection Program expect to run out of money by the first week of August, according to a Goldman Sachs survey released Tuesday.
US economy may be stalling out as viral outbreak worsens
Another 1.3 million workers sought unemployment last week, according to the Department of Labor.
Data: Small business aid went beyond hard-hit companies, benefited wealthy, well-connected companies
The government on Monday identified roughly 650,000 mostly small businesses and nonprofits that received taxpayer money through a federal program that was designed to soften job losses from the coronavirus but also benefited wealthy, well-connected companies and some celebrity owned firms.
US adds 4.8 million jobs as unemployment falls to 11.1%
While the jobless rate was down from 13.3% in May, it is still at a Depression-era level. And the data was gathered during the second week of June, just before a number of states began to reverse or suspend the reopenings of their economies to try to beat back the virus.
US consumer confidence rises to 98.1 in June
The confidence index was at a high of 132.6 in February 2020 before falling sharply in March and April.
Minnesota unemployment rate hits 9.9 percent, highest ever recorded in state
Minnesota's unemployment rate was 9.9 percent in May, which is the highest rate ever recorded int he state.
1.5 million more laid-off workers seek unemployment benefits
About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, evidence that many Americans are still losing their jobs even as the economy appears to be slowly recovering with more businesses partially reopening.
Are we getting a second coronavirus stimulus check? What we know so far
An unexpectedly strong jobs report makes it appear unlikely that Americans will see a new coronavirus aid bill -- or a second IRS stimulus check.