June 11, 2020
Mass. unemployment claims rising again, as total nears 1M since pandemic began
Photo | Grant Welker
Volturno, a restaurant on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, has begun serving patrons in an expanded outdoor seating area.
By Riley Garand
Unemployment claims filed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic have increased to 975,799 claims in Massachusetts, according to the U.S Department of Labor data released Thursday.
After weeks of trending downward following the initial spike in applications in March, the number of statewide claims rose again for the week ending June 6, where 44,732 people made new claims. That is 17,102 more than the previous week.
The latest unemployment numbers come before Gov. Charlie Baker’s issued guidance regarding the beginning of the second phase of reopening the economy, which began on Monday. Phase 2 includes: retail with occupancy limits, childcare facilities and day camps with detailed guidance, outdoor service at restaurants, hotels and lodging with no events or functions, warehouses, distribution centers, personal services such as home cleaning, and higher education courses, specifically ones required for graduation.
Other areas of Massachusetts to start to reopen under Gov. Baker’s guidance in following phases include: youth and amateur sports, professional sport practices, driving and flight schools, funeral homes, outdoor recreation facilities, non-athletic youth instruction, and outdoor historical places.
The unemployment claims by industry breakdown from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce for the week ending of June 6 was not available Thursday morning.
Nationwide, 1.5 million cases were filed last week, which is 355,000 less than the week prior. Still, 24 states, including Massachusetts, saw number of new unemployment claims rise last week.
In total, the country has had more than 45 million people who have filed for unemployment claims during the pandemic.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments