The number of American workers filing for unemployment benefits fell last week to a new pandemic-era low, suggesting further tightening in the labor market as businesses boosted wages to attract and retain staff. First-time filings for unemployment insurance—a proxy for layoffs—came in at 267,000 for the week ending Nov. 6, the Labor Department said in a report (pdf). Continuing claims, which run a week behind the initial filings figure and reflect the total number of people receiving benefits through traditional state programs, rose by 59,000 to 2.16 million. The jobless claims figures come as businesses continue to struggle to attract and workers, boosting wages and offering perks to bring in badly needed staff. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) said in a Nov. 9 report that a net 44 percent of small-business owners reported boosting wages to attract and retain staff, the highest reading in the 48-year history of …