Mass. unemployment claims spike another 22%
Photo | Grant Welker
Fish, a seafood restaurant in downtown Marlborough, has remained open for take-out only for evenings five days a week during the coronavirus outbreak.
Initial unemployment claims in Massachusetts rose by another 22% last week on top of the already sky-high numbers released a week prior when coronavirus-related shutdowns began having a major effect on the workforce.
In three weeks' time, Massachusetts unemployment claims have risen from 7,449 to 148,452 to 181,062, according to figures released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor. The latest 22% increase follows a rise of roughly 1,900%.
The 181,062 who filed for unemployment represent nearly 5% of the state's entire non-farm employment as of February, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
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Massachusetts had among the biggest spikes in unemployment claims in the week ending March 21 as one of the states hit earlier in the pandemic. Now, other states are beginning to see a similar trend as others enact similar bans on operations at most workplaces. The national rate doubled in the week ending March 28, hitting more than 5.8 million in figures that aren't seasonally adjusted.
In seasonally adjusted numbers, the national number was 6.6 million, which also doubled.
The prior week's number was already easily the country's highest ever, far surpassing the previous high of 695,000 in October 1982. Until the last few weeks, unemployment claims were in the range of 200,000 to 220,000 a week nationally.
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While the unemployment rolls grow, certain companies been making mass hiring pushes, particularly in the grocery industry, which has seen a rise in business as restaurant dining rooms remain closed.
Wegmans said Tuesday it is hiring for more than 400 part- and full-time positions throughout its six Massachusetts stores, which includes its Northborough location. Wakefern Food Corp., the owner of Price Rite Marketplace, which has two Worcester locations, said Wednesday it's looking to fill hundreds of jobs throughout its company.
Those add to other retailers who've already announced major hiring plans, including CVS Health, Price Chopper, Amazon and Walmart. BJ's Wholesale Club of Westborough has said it is temporarily raising the wages for front-line workers by $2 per hour.
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