New figures from the US Department of Labor released Thursday morning show 1,006,000 new jobless claims were filed last week.
Thursday’s numbers represent from last week’s 1,104,000. but still marked the second straight week jobless claims topped 1 million.
Since the week ended March 20 this year, more than 58 million Americans have so far filed new unemployment insurance claims.
The new figures come as the Republican National Convention prepares to enter its final night, with President Donald Trump delivering his acceptance speech; the nation reeling from protests over another police shooting of a Black man; the continuing coronavirus pandemic; and the devastating Hurricane Laura slamming into the nation’s Gulf coast.
The pandemic-induced recession has flung millions of Americans back into poverty as expanded government aid has expired. There are 14.8 million Americans collecting jobless aid.
Until July 31, the unemployed were receiving an extra $600 a week in federal money on top of regular state unemployment benefits, part of an extraordinary lifeline extended to help them through the crisis. The loss of that money is putting the squeeze on many families.
After passing a massive financial rescue package in March, congressional Republicans and Democrats have been unable to agree on more aid. President Trump signed an executive order Aug. 8 offering a stripped-down version of the expanded unemployment benefits. At least 39 states have accepted or said that they would apply for federal grants that let them increase weekly benefits by $300 or $400.
Last week, nearly 608,000 people applied for jobless aid under a new program that extends eligibility for the first time to self-employed and gig workers, up from 525,000 the previous week. That figure isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so it’s reported separately.
Altogether, the Labor Department said that 27 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits, though the figure may be inflated by double-counting by states.
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the American economy. Businesses closed and Americans stayed home to avoid infection. Economic activity plummeted. From April through June, gross domestic product shrank at an annual rate of 31.7 percent, by far the worst quarter on record. Employers slashed more than 22 million jobs in March and April.
Since then, the job market and the economy have been rebounding as businesses slowly reopened. Home sales and prices have been strong. Employers added nearly 9.3 million jobs in May, June and July, but that hiring surge replaced just 42% of the jobs lost in March and April.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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