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Practical guidance for preserving your work, preparing career conversations, and choosing a useful next move.

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A professional reviewing occupational and benefits information on her laptop

Market Observer

5 min read

Job lock is rising: 24% of insured U.S. workers stay put for health coverage.

A West Health-Gallup survey finds about 24% of U.S. workers with employer coverage stayed in a job they wanted to leave in 2025 to keep their insurance, up from 16% in 2021. Here is what the number supports, what it does not, and what you can do about it.

For workers weighing a move who feel held in place by their benefits

MeritLog Team · Published Aug 18, 2026

MeritLog illustration · person depicted is fictional · Updated Aug 18, 2026

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An empty classroom of desks and chairs beside a row of windows

Market Observer

10 min read

The July 2026 jobs report, read in full: payrolls fell 23,000 and revisions cut 103,000.

Payrolls fell by 23,000 in July while unemployment held at 4.1%. Revisions removed another 103,000 jobs from May and June. A section-by-section reading of what the BLS release says, what it does not, and which lines matter most.

For anyone trying to read the monthly jobs report without the commentary

MeritLog Team · Published Aug 18, 2026

Photo: Allen Y / Unsplash · Updated Aug 18, 2026

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Closed loading dock doors on a commercial distribution building

Transitions

4 min read

Three Southern California WARN notices cut about 475 jobs. What to do first.

FedEx, Staples, and LAZ Parking filed California WARN notices in August 2026 covering roughly 475 positions across the Inland Empire, La Mirada, and two airports. Here is what the filings actually say, and the steps that matter in the first week.

For workers who have received a layoff notice, and anyone watching their employer file one

MeritLog Team · Published Aug 18, 2026

Photo: Matthew Jackson / Unsplash · Updated Aug 18, 2026

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An open plan office with rows of desks and a few people working at a distance

Market Observer

10 min read

Jobless claims rose to 209,000. Why that calm number describes a frozen market.

Weekly jobless claims rose to 209,000 in August 2026 and stayed historically low, while hiring ran at about 61,000 jobs a month. Low firing and low hiring are different things, and the gap between them explains why a search takes longer than the headline suggests.

For people searching now, or deciding whether this is the year to move

MeritLog Team · Published Aug 18, 2026

Photo: Adolfo Felix / Unsplash · Updated Aug 18, 2026

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An empty clinic corridor with waiting chairs and consulting room doors

Credentials

10 min read

What counts as a STEM job? The answer doubles depending on who is counting.

A BLS analysis puts STEM employment at 10.2 million or 20.7 million in the same month, using the same data. The difference is the definition, and it decides whether nurses, technicians, and economists are counted at all.

For anyone deciding whether their work counts as STEM, and how to describe it

MeritLog Team · Published Aug 18, 2026

Photo: Tasha Kostyuk / Unsplash · Updated Aug 18, 2026

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A young professional reviewing notes about her work experience beside a laptop

Job Search

7 min read

Global youth unemployment hit 12.4%. What it means for an entry-level job search.

The ILO's 2026 youth report puts global youth unemployment at 12.4% and points to shrinking middle-skilled work, not AI, as the measured problem. Here is what the figures support, what they do not, and what an early-career job seeker can act on this week.

For early-career job seekers, recent graduates, and the people advising them

MeritLog Team · Published Aug 18, 2026

MeritLog illustration · person depicted is fictional · Updated Aug 17, 2026

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Articles

Latest Articles

Job lock is rising: 24% of insured U.S. workers stay put for health coverage.

The July 2026 jobs report, read in full: payrolls fell 23,000 and revisions cut 103,000.

Three Southern California WARN notices cut about 475 jobs. What to do first.

Jobless claims rose to 209,000. Why that calm number describes a frozen market.

What counts as a STEM job? The answer doubles depending on who is counting.

Global youth unemployment hit 12.4%. What it means for an entry-level job search.

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