The Georgia Department of Labor started paying out unemployment benefits last week through the new federal COVID-19 relief legislation even as a group of unemployed Georgians sued the agency to speed up checks.

Jobless claims rose sharply last week as critical relief programs, including expanded jobless benefits, are due to expire the day after Christmas.

U.S. employers added just 245,000 jobs last month as the runaway pandemic continued to weigh on hiring. The unemployment rate fell to 6.7% from 6.9% in October.

The Labor Department likely will report Friday a sharp slowdown in job growth in November as a surge in coronavirus cases weighs on many businesses.

Those getting jobless benefits had fewer symptoms of depression and lower anxiety, according to a new study. But losing that aid could result in deaths that are not directly from the coronavirus.

Claims for state unemployment benefits again rose last week, signaling ongoing weakness in the job market as coronavirus infections continue to soar.

Eight months after the pandemic shutdown caused unemployment claims to hit record highs, the Georgia Department of Labor is finally processing unemployment claims at pre-COVID-19 rates.

The department, which processed more than 4 million regular unemployment claims and disbursed more than $15.7 billion in benefits since March, announced that it had caught up with its application queue Thursday, but some applicants could still face frustrating waits.

U.S. employers added 638,000 jobs last month as the unemployment rate dipped to 6.9%. A winter spike in coronavirus infections threatens to further weaken job growth.

Partisan views are shaping opinions of the economy as the nation slowly digs its way out of the coronavirus recession.

In New Hampshire, more than 10,000 people who collected unemployment during the pandemic have received notices that they weren't entitled to benefits and had to return the money.

Women are leaving the workforce at four times the rate of men. The shift is especially pronounced among Latina women, and that could have lasting effects for the broader economy.

As pressure mounts for a longer lifeline than the government's emergency benefits, some lawmakers and advocates are pushing to make broader state stipends a priority.

Powell renews his call for congressional action on the economy, but President Trump tells his representatives to stop negotiating on new relief until after the election.

The Labor Department says U.S. employers added just 661,000 jobs last month, as unemployment fell to 7.9%, showcasing an economic recovery that is losing steam.

Asian Americans have traditionally enjoyed some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. But the pandemic is taking a heavy toll - and Trump's blaming China isn't helping.