ATLANTA, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) – We’re keeping track of the unprecedented number of unemployment insurance claims filed nationally and here in the State of Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) gives a weekly update on the total number of people who have filed claims.
Latest Weekly Unemployment Claims Data:
In the most recent update, which was on April 16, 2020, the DOL reported 5,245,000 filings in the U.S. as of April 11, 2020. It indicated that number was a decrease of 1,370,000 from the prior week’s revised level of 6,615,000.
In Georgia, DOL data showed there were 317,526 initial filings for the week ending April 11. The report showed Georgia had 390,132 the prior week of March 20 through April 4, which is a difference of 72,606. State officials said the GDOL had processed more claims during that period than it did for the entire year of 2019. They also said it was three times more than what had been processed during the week before that.
Data for the week ending April 18, 2020 has not yet been released.
Latest Unemployment Rates:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. unemployment rate for March was 4.4%, which was a 0.9% increase over the prior month. The BLS indicated it was the largest increase in a one-month period since 1975.
GDOL data indicates the unemployment rate for March in Georgia was 4.2%.
For information on how to get Unemployment Insurance relief during the COVID-19 outbreak and other topics, click here.
