U.S. private employers hired fewer workers than expected for a second straight month in August, suggesting that the labor market recovery was slowing as the COVID-19 pandemic persists and government money to support workers and employers dries up. The moderation in job growth was also flagged by another report from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday showing furloughed workers increasingly being laid off permanently in some parts of the country. The bulk of hiring last month was by large businesses, with small enterprises posting a modest increase. A $600 weekly unemployment supplement expired on July 31, while a program that gave businesses loans that can be partially forgiven if used for employee pay has also lapsed. “The recovery in jobs lost in this pandemic recession was always a weak one,” said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York. “But for a second month in a […]