Claims for jobless aid reach highest level since early 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since February 2015, more sobering news for the labor market after a disappointing April jobs report.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for jobless aid rose by 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 294,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose by 10,250 to 268,250, highest in nearly three months.
Jobless claims are a proxy for layoffs. Despite la