The number of unemployment claims filed during the week ending August 2 was 289,000 according the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday. The numbers represent a fall of 14,000 against the previous week's claim of 303,000.

The number of people collecting unemployment insurance benefits under state programs is over 2.5 million according to the report. In 2013 during the same week over 4.5 million people were claiming benefits.

The six states with the highest claims were California (54,180) Florida (14,077), Illinois (9,516), New York (17,208), Pennsylvania (14,750) and Texas (14,457). But all the claims were several thousand less than a week ago.

Over 23 million Latinos are employed in the U.S. labor force, representing a participation rate of 61.2 percent.

The National Council of La Raza in its Monthly Latino Employment Report for July, found Latino families are experiencing slower economic recovery. The Latino unemployment rate remained at 7.8 percent. The total number of Latinos unemployed, those still claiming benefits and those no longer in the work force, was 15.1 million, and those employed was 23.3 million.

Employers added 209,000 jobs in July, for a six-month stretch of job gains over 200,000.

"The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell 4,000 to 293,500. That's the lowest average since February 2006, almost two years before the Great Recession began at the end of 2007," reported the Associated Press. "Still, greater job security and more hiring activity have yet to boost wages by much. Wage growth has slightly outpaced inflation since the recession ended more than five years ago. But more people with jobs increases the total number of paychecks, which could boost consumer spending and growth."

In a related story, a report found that when people received extended unemployment insurance benefits it helped them fend off foreclosure on their homes. The researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research found in "Positive Externalities of Social Insurance: Unemployment Insurance and Consumer Credit," the additional monies during 2008-2012 prevented 1.4 million foreclosures. Extended unemployment benefits were allowed to lapse by the U.S. Congress in December 13, 2013.

Researchers found unemployment benefits ranged from $6,000 in Mississippi to $28,000 in Massachusetts in 2011, and for every $1,000 extra in benefits, a person's likely delinquent mortgage dropped by 25 basis points. They also found that receiving benefits for a longer period had the same effect and delinquency was lessened. In addition, the jobless benefits had a lasting effect on keeping people in their homes and they were able to maintain, and helped contribute to steady property values in the neighborhoods. Mortgage and banks benefited from a lower default risk, and local governments took smaller hits from foreclosures.

Nearly 5 million homes were foreclosed on between 2008-2012 according to CoreLogic.