Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Poll Shows Declining Confidence in Labor Market Amid Rising Unemployment

10/4/2025

26 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A CBS News poll shows 33% view the labor market as "good," down from 41% in April 2025.
In August 2025, nearly 2 million Americans received unemployment benefits; long-term unemployment rose to 1.9 million (highest since 2021), with 26% unemployed for over 27 weeks.
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to support the labor market amid these challenges.

History

Historical Context

In 2021, the U.S. unemployment rate soared to 14.8% due to the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the government to enact the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan for economic recovery. By April 2025, only 33% of Americans viewed the labor market positively, down from 41%, as the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts aimed to stimulate job growth amid ongoing employment challenges.

1 of 2

Story summary

A CBS News poll shows 33% view the labor market as "good," down from 41% in April 2025.
In August 2025, nearly 2 million Americans received unemployment benefits; long-term unemployment rose to 1.9 million (highest since 2021), with 26% unemployed for over 27 weeks.
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to support the labor market amid these challenges.

1 / 2