Sergey Pakulin/Dreamstime
Turner In Work Glothes And Gloves Jobs Job Manufacturing Job Factory Job Copyright Sergey Pakulin Dreamstime
Turner In Work Glothes And Gloves Jobs Job Manufacturing Job Factory Job Copyright Sergey Pakulin Dreamstime
Turner In Work Glothes And Gloves Jobs Job Manufacturing Job Factory Job Copyright Sergey Pakulin Dreamstime
Turner In Work Glothes And Gloves Jobs Job Manufacturing Job Factory Job Copyright Sergey Pakulin Dreamstime
Turner In Work Glothes And Gloves Jobs Job Manufacturing Job Factory Job Copyright Sergey Pakulin Dreamstime

Weekly Unemployment Claims Climb by 137,000

Dec. 11, 2020
December 5 saw the highest weekly increase in new applicants since March

Initial data released by the Department of Labor shows that 853,000 Americans applied for initial unemployment benefits during the week of December 5, 137,000 more than those who applied the week previous.

The increase in new applicants is the largest weekly increase since the number of new initial applications shot up to more than 3 million in March. The actual number of new applications is the highest it has been since mid-September.

The concerning upwelling in new claims comes after a decrease in initial unemployment filings for the week of November 28, which included the Thanksgiving holiday: Adjusted figures showed 716,000 people applied for benefits during the week of the holiday, a slight dip from the week of November 21.

The number of applicants for pandemic unemployment assistance also increased, by 139,375 people to 427,609 last week. Pandemic unemployment assistance, provided by the CARES act passed in March, allows some employees—gig workers, subcontractors, and the self-employed—to apply for unemployment insurance they would not otherwise have been eligible for.

At risk with this latest increase is that the pandemic unemployment assistance program is approaching its cut-off point: Unless Congress passes legislation to update it, the pandemic unemployment assistance will stop being distributed after December 26.

The newly resurgent unemployment claims come as COVID-19 continues an uncontained spread across much of the country, prompting states to shut down and issue or re-issue stay-at-home orders.

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!