United States: Weekly jobless claims are on the rise

A woman in front of an Illinois employment agency in Arlington Heights (illustrative image).

AP - Nam Y. Huh

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

US weekly jobless claims for the week of December 6 to 12, 2020 are on the rise again.

885,000 people registered, 23,000 more than the previous week.

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The number of new jobless claims in the United States is higher than the expectations of analysts who had forecast an increase of 795,000 new registrants.

There are therefore 90,000 more unemployed than expected.  

This rise in weekly unemployment benefit claims indicates that job cuts remain sustained.

The country is currently facing

an unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases.

Although the total number of job seekers is declining, minus 273,000 people, it does not in any way express an improvement, but can be explained by the fact that many unemployed people are reaching the end of their rights, to be taken into account. charged by a specific program, set up because of the effects of the health crisis.

In total, 20.7 million people benefit from various public aids, or 1.6 million more people than the previous week.

In the absence

of agreement in Congress on a new stimulus package

for the economy, the situation risks becoming critical.

Because the additional aid introduced in the spring to support job seekers and businesses expire on Friday 25 at midnight.  

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  • United States

  • Economy

  • Employment and Work

  • Coronavirus