The number of Americans applying for jobless aid decreased modestly last week. Roughly 709,000 people filed for first-time unemployment benefits in the week ending November 7, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's a drop of nearly 50,000 from the previous week.
Despite that decline, weekly jobless claims remain nearly three times their level before the coronavirus pandemic, a sign layoffs remain widespread even as large parts of the economy recover.
Another 298,000 people applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a special federal program for gig workers and others who don't qualify for regular unemployment benefits.
This is a developing story. The Associated Press contributed reporting.