>>Jobless Claims Down
(Washington, DC) -- Fewer Americans than expected found themselves filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week. The Labor Department reports receiving 216-thousand requests for the week ending September 2nd. That's a drop of 13-thousand from the previous week's revised total. Most analysts had forecast today's number to come in at right around 230-thousand, instead of the 216.
>>Contract Talks Making Progress Between UAW, Automakers
(Detroit, MI) -- The contract between the United Auto Workers union and the Detroit three automakers is now a week away from expiring, and the UAW is threatening to strike at all three if an agreement has not been reached. Progress has been noted in the talks with Ford, and General Motors is expected to make a proposal today. Wayne State University business professor Marick Masters says avoiding a strike with an agreement by next Thursday will "take a near miracle." The UAW wants a 46-percent raise, an end to the two-tiered wage system, and to be paid 40 hours for a 32-hour work week.
>>Google Requires Election Ads To Disclose AI Use
(Mountain View, CA) -- Google is requiring election ads to disclose any use of artificial intelligence. The tech giant said Wednesday that the policy update will go into effect in November, a year ahead of the 2024 presidential election. A spokesperson said in a statement that the new rule buildings on Google's existing efforts to increase transparency by further supporting responsible political advertising. The policy affects ads that contain AI-generated content that "depicts real or realistic-looking people or events."
>>Entry Level Jobs Offering Student Loan Repayment Have Doubled Since 2019
(New York, NY) -- The share of entry-level jobs that mention student loan repayment programs has more than doubled since 2019. That's according to data from Handshake, the career platform for college students and recent grads. The industries on the platform with the most full-time jobs mentioning student loan repayment benefits include health care, non-profit, government, law and politics, financial services, and education. Some common jobs more likely to mention student loan repayment in their description include clinical pharmacist, nurse practitioner, software engineer and insurance sales advisor. According to a 2021 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute 17-percent of employers offered some type of student loan assistance program.
>>Top Scams That Target Consumers This Summer
(New York, NY) -- From fake Taylor Swift tickets to promises of student loan forgiveness, scammers are tapping into the latest trend to target consumers. Some of the top fraud schemes seen this summer are the following: Taylor Swift fans eager to buy tickets may have found they were conned; summer vacationers finding the rental listings - for both short and long term stays - were not legitimate; and borrowers hoping for student loan relief falling prey to scams. Common warning signs include aggressive advertising language, big promises, and requests for log-in or other confidential personal information. Experts say the best defense is a good offense.keep your personal information to yourself. Do not share your address, Social Security or credit card numbers unless you are certain the website or app is legitimate.
