US Jobless Claims Rise to 286,000, Highest Since October

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in three months as the fast-spreading omicron variant disrupted the job market.

Jobless claims rose for the third straight week – by 55,000 to 286,000, highest since mid-October, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The four-week average of claims, which smooths out weekly volatility, rose by 20,000 to 231,000, the highest since late November.

A surge in COVID cases has set back what had been a strong comeback from last year’s short but devastating coronavirus recession.