Accessibility Tools

Skip to main content

The Low-hire, Low-fire Economy

Written on .

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in early October that:   “You’ve got a low-firing, low-hiring environment.”  He goes on to say that if layoffs are seen, “That could very quickly flow into higher unemployment.”  The current jobless rate is at 4.3%, but there are a growing number of people unable to leave their jobs or are underemployed.  Further, employers may have been prolonging layoffs while trying to figure out which direction the economy is going. 

Also, the number of discouraged workers who have given up job searches or who have currently only been able to find part-time employment, climbed to the highest level in almost four years.  Thus, in today’s current economic environment you rarely hear the old words: “Take this job and shove it.”

    This article is part of our November 2025 Newsletter. 

    View the newsletter online

    Download the newsletter as a PDF

    Get Email Updates

    Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below.
    ai, human reach out
    A January 20, 2026, class action filed against Eightfold AI, Inc. in California is sending shockwaves through the employer and AI community…
    danger sign, skull
    A second “bombshell” affecting HR pertaining to AI is a federal court ruling in New York, that a defendant’s use of AI in researching and p…
    CHAT GPT
    Soon after the deciding of the above-discussed case on February 17, 2026, in U.S. v. Heppner, a criminal case in the District Court for the…
    avoid, wave away
    There are no easy answers to the above question, but some general observations will nevertheless be made.  First, the New York district cou…
    ai visualization
    Perhaps the starting point is to look at the type of AI platforms generally available.  At a recent conference about AI use for HR, speaker…
    june 2026 legal immigration webinar promo graphic
    The webinar will cover how to deal with a worksite enforcement action and various types of immigration enforcement activities. The webinar…