By Doug Barrett
May 16, 2021 | 4:28 PM
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 473,000, a new pandemic low. It’s the latest evidence that fewer employers are cutting jobs as consumers ramp up spending and more businesses reopen. Instead of cutting jobs, many employers are struggling to attract enough applicants for open positions.
Retail sales were flat in April after soaring in March, when many Americans received $1,400 stimulus checks that boosted spending. Today’s report from the U.S. Commerce Department was worse than the 0.8% rise Wall Street analysts had expected.
Amazon is seeking to hire 75,000 people in a tight job market and is offering bonuses to attract workers, including $100 for new hires who are already vaccinated for COVID-19. The jobs pay at least $15 an hour and are for delivery drivers and warehouse workers, who pack and ship online orders.