New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits stayed under 200,000 for a fifth consecutive week, a sign that employers are still laying off relatively few workers even as hiring remains slow. Seasonally adjusted initial claims were 199,000 in the week ending Oct.
The Wage and Hour Division withdrew a 2025 proposal to remove nine parts of FLSA interpretive guidance from the Code of Federal Regulations, including guidance for retailers, motor carriers and petroleum distributors. The guidance stays where it is.
Registered Apprenticeship has grown to 727,586 active apprentices, but 46.49% of the FY2024 cohort completed under DOL's definition. National placement data remain the missing piece.
The Labor Department's AI Literacy Framework says every worker will need baseline AI skills. Census data show about one business in five using AI, so a universal requirement remains a policy expectation, not a measured fact.
