September 10, 2020
Mass. unemployment claims plateau at high level
Photo | Grant Welker
Construction is underway on a new facility for WuXi Biologics on Belmont Street in Worcester.
By Riley Garand
Unemployment claims filed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic have increased to 1,264,199 in Massachusetts, according to the U.S Department of Labor data released Thursday.
There were 18,151 new claims made during the week ending Sep. 5, which is 417 less than the week prior. The Labor Department on Thursday adjusted the number of claims made on the week ending Aug. 29 from 18,054 to 18,568.
The most recent weekly claims are 23% higher than they were a month ago, as Massachusetts has had the nation's worst unemployment rate for two straight months. The rate was 16.1% in July.
Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce development data for the week ending of Sep. 5 was not available Thursday morning. That state-level data breaks down the unemployment claims by industry.
In the week ending Aug. 29, claims were up in health and social assistance, from 1,977 to 2,196, professional and technical services from 1,349 to 1,417, construction from 1,071 to 1,228, and education from 774 to 887.
Claims fell in food and accommodation claims from 1,367 to 1,303, retail from 1,565 to 1,523, manufacturing claims from 1,077 to 958, and administrative and waste services from 1,022 to 964.
Nationally, unemployment claims were 884,000, which is unchanged from the week prior’s revised numbers. Originally, claims the week ending Aug. 29 were 881,000 and were revised up by 3,000. The claims bring the total since the beginning of the pandemic to over 61 million.
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