Unemployment

Spain has been battered by the European economic crisis. Unemployment is high and jobs are scarce. Especially among the country’s youth. For many, the armed forces are the best route to a steady paycheck — and competition for those spots is fierce.Spain has been battered by the European economic crisis. Unemployment is high and jobs are scarce. Especially among the country’s youth. For many, the armed forces are the best route to a steady paycheck — and competition for those spots is fierce.

We speak with Charlie Herman, economics editor for The Takeaway and WNYC Radio, and Marcus Mabry, associate national editor for our partner The New York Times, to discuss the important decisions that need to be made.

We speak with Annette Bernhardt, a policy co-director for the National Employment Law Project and with Chelsea Nelson, who once worked as a secretary but now works as a waitress at a truck stop to help make ends meet.

Financial markets took a hit yesterday after jobless claims rose to their highest level since last November. This increase is feeding concern that the economy is starting to slow down again. Louise Story joins us.

Unemployment numbers released today place the unemployment rate holding steady at 9.6 percent, but nonfarm payrolls are up 151,000. Yahoo Finance economics editor and columnist Dan Gross deciphers the numbers for us.