Experts believe that workers in their 50s and 60s, who may have accumulated savings, will be most likely to give up job-provided insurance for policies on the new public exchanges.
The numbers could be skewed partly by revisions to last year's job growth and U.S. population figures and a cutoff of extended unemployment benefits in December.
Louisiana's unemployment rate fell for the third straight month in November, hitting 6.3 percent as the state's job market continued its recovery from a slowdown in 2013's first half.
Not all seasonal jobs are created equal. Last week we took a look at some examples of holiday employment that offer good opportunities and benefits; now it's time to examine what kind of work you should actively avoid this season.
Applications for unemployment benefits reflect layoffs. At the depths of the recession in March 2009, they numbered 670,000. The average has fallen 10 percent this year.