Unemployment

As a candidate, Donald Trump described the economy as something of an unmitigated disaster. Now, he says, "prosperity is coming back to our shores." Is that really true?

The U.S. economy added jobs in health care, social assistance, financial activities and mining. But wage growth hasn't topped 4 percent since 2008.

In these hyper-polarized times, even seemingly objective facts like the unemployment rate are often viewed through a partisan lens.

The national unemployment rate nudged lower to 4.3 percent — the lowest it has been in 16 years.

As the country reels from its financial crisis, a new restaurant, run by a Catholic priest, lets paying daytime customers foot the dinner bill for homeless people to dine with dignity — and style.

President Obama inherited an economy that was cratering, the worst recession since the Great Depression. Slowly, but surely, things have turned around. The job market is strong, but quickly shifting.

The U.S. added 178,000 new jobs in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which was about what was expected. However, wages dropped slightly, after an 11-cent gain in October.

Millions of men in their prime working years have dropped out since the 1960s — they aren't working or even looking for a job. Factors including technology, education and family reasons play a role.

Since the last presidential election, a growing economy has sent the unemployment rate plunging. That improvement has changed the political conversation, but it hasn't stopped worries about wages.

For workers who want a raise, this was an encouraging week, with minimum-wage legislation gaining momentum and employers paying more across the board.