DARK WINTER

U.S. Jobless Claims Rising Again as Pandemic Runs Rampant

For the first time in five weeks, the number of Americans seeking unemployment aid has increased.

The coronavirus is surging once again, and, just like before, it’s hitting the jobs market hard. For the first time in five weeks, the number of Americans seeking unemployment aid has increased. It now stands at 742,000—up from 711,000 in the previous week, according to the Labor Department. The figure comes after at least 15 states brought in new measures in an attempt to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus. That means more states and cities are restricting restaurant dining, closing down gyms, and reducing the capacity of bars, stores and other businesses. When the first wave of the pandemic hit the United States back in March, weekly jobless claims soared to nearly seven million.