965k people filed for unemployment in the US last week according to the Department of Labor’s weekly jobless claims report. The tally marks the highest point since last August, and jobless claims have now remained above the pre-coronavirus high of 695k (set in 1982) for 43 consecutive weeks.
More context: Every week, the Department of Labor releases a report that includes “initial claims” for unemployment benefits (source), which is widely used as a barometer for layoffs.
The New Paper
This story is from the January 15, 2021 edition of The New Paper – a clear, concise daily briefing that makes fact-first news easy to consume. Try it today.
