Attendees at a career fair in Bolivia, North Carolina. Photographer: Allison Joyce/Bloomberg

The number of Americans on unemployment-benefit rolls climbed to a more-than-three-year high, while first-time applications for U.S. unemployment insurance edged slightly higher.

Continuing claims, a proxy for people who are already receiving benefits and still can’t find a job, jumped to 1.9 million in the week ended January 11—the highest since November 2021—according to Labor Department data released Thursday. Initial claims increased last week by 6,000, to 223,000. New applications for unemployment benefits are hovering near their pre-pandemic averages, a sign of a healthy labor market. But the rise in recurring claims suggests that unemployed people are beginning to have a tougher time finding a new job.

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