Number of U.S. Workers Receiving Bonuses Is Declining

Many employees are thinking about raises and bonuses this time of year, but they may be disappointed.

Fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and banking are seeing pay rise faster than the average.

New research from payroll software company ADP shows that both the number of workers receiving bonuses and the size of those payouts are declining, Forbes Daily reported.

While most employers are keeping 2026 salary increases in line with those of 2025, some fields — including artificial intelligence (AI) and banking — are seeing pay rise faster than average.

Meanwhile, the number of unemployment applications surged last week, according to U.S. Labor Department data, despite having recently reached a three-year low.

New claims jumped to 236,000, marking the largest single-week increase in five years.

Total unemployment benefit applications climbed to 1.83 million. However, the number of continuing jobless claims declined by 4.5% from the previous week.