More Americans apply for jobless benefits but labor market remains tight

By MATT OTT
AP Business Writer

U.S. applications for jobless claims rose slightly last week but remain at healthy levels as companies seem reticent to let go of employees in a tight labor market. The number of Americans filing for jobless claims for the week ending May 20 rose by 4,000 to 229,000 from 225,000 the week before, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s number was revised down by a significant 17,000. The weekly claims numbers are broadly as representative of the number of U.S. layoffs. Since the pandemic purge of millions of jobs three years ago, the U.S. economy has added jobs at a breakneck pace.