Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs remain low despite a weakening labor market.

Unemployment benefits applications totaled 199,000 last week, the Labor Department reported, down 16,000 from the previous week’s revised-up total of 215,000 and below Wall Street’s estimates of ...

The act also increased the maximum amount of time a person can collect unemployment benefits, from 20 weeks to 26 weeks.

The maximum weekly rate for unemployment benefits is scheduled to increase beginning Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, to $530, up from ...

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