In a surprising setback, the nation's unemployment rate climbed to 9.8 percent in November, a seven-month high, as hiring slowed across the economy.
This is a reminder that the economic recovery is proceeding slower than many economists had expected. It is likely to push lawmakers before year's end to pass an extension of long-term unemployment benefits, which expired last week.
Employers added a net total of only 39,000 jobs last month, a sharp decline from t...