Struggling to get by: Behind the US underemployment crisis
Trump’s tariffs, heightened healthcare and housing costs, and a stagnating jobs market leave more workers struggling.
![As layoffs surge job openings stall labour turnover stalls Americans who aren't making enough to meet their cost of living struggle to find new or additional work [File: Brian Snyder/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-08-12T180449Z_1884361201_RC2Q5GAJQIPP_RTRMADP_3_USA-ECONOMY-1770828249.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
Trump’s tariffs, heightened healthcare and housing costs, and a stagnating jobs market leave more workers struggling.
![As layoffs surge job openings stall labour turnover stalls Americans who aren't making enough to meet their cost of living struggle to find new or additional work [File: Brian Snyder/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-08-12T180449Z_1884361201_RC2Q5GAJQIPP_RTRMADP_3_USA-ECONOMY-1770828249.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)

![The decision comes despite ongoing political pressure as US President Donald Trump has called for more aggressive interest rate cuts [File:Nathan Howard/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-13T144147Z_2075403647_RC2C0JA6N16M_RTRMADP_3_USA-TRUMP-FED-POWELL-1769627465.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)



![A slowing job market has weighed on consumers according to the Conference Board [File: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-24T105942Z_681960584_RC2DSEA1XKT1_RTRMADP_3_COMPANIES-TARIFFS-PRICES-1764090071.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![The healthcare as well as food and beverage services led the job gains but the federal workforce as well as the transportation and warehousing sectors saw declines [File: Andrew Kelly/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-10-29T121302Z_1095127296_RC2NLHA0ZYUM_RTRMADP_3_USA-ECONOMY-UNEMPLOYMENT-1763651318.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)

The agency made the announcement as it confronts staffing shortages caused by air traffic controllers.

Ugandans are celebrating New York City Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani’s historic ascension to city hall.

The poor are suffering the most as the political stalemate continues.
The US central bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, its second cut for the year.
More air traffic controllers are calling in sick, often to work another job to pay for groceries and medicines.
Small businesses in NYC face steep challenges, as there are few protections preventing them from being priced out.
Amazon confirms 14,000 layoffs after CEO says AI likely to lead to job losses.
Both international bonds and local stocks jumped while the peso strengthened against the US dollar.
Mexican shoe businesses can export to US tariff-free under USMCA but old policies and corrupt practices hold them back.
Stellantis announced a $13bn investment in the US, which will see Jeep Compass production move from Canada to the US.