Coronavirus: 6.6 million Americans registered unemployed last week

Text by: RFI Follow

The United States registered nearly 10 million new jobless claims in two weeks, 6.6 million last week alone. Economists had forecast a sharp increase, but not at this record level.

Publicity

Twice as many Americans filed a first unemployment benefit claim last week compared to the previous one: 6.6 million more claims. By the end of the third week in March, a first weekly record had been broken with 3.3 million new unemployment benefit claims.

This already exceptional figure is likely to continue to increase, because unemployment insurance still has many files pending processing. Such a rapid increase is unprecedented. In two weeks, the United States registered as many new job seekers as in the first six months of the 2008 crisis.

Almost all registrations are linked to Covid-19

Not surprisingly, however, almost all registrations are linked to the Covid-19. And the stimulus plan ratified last Friday by Donald Trump should have the effect of swelling the ranks of benefit seekers since people who were not entitled to it so far can now claim it. This is the case of the self-employed or part-time workers who can now claim benefits, due to the law passed in emergency to support the economy, the case also of the sick or quarantined.

Another indicator of employment in the United States, the unemployment rate for the month of March will be published on Friday. Analysts anticipate a rate of 4% against 3.5% in February. A figure that will probably not reflect the crisis caused by the coronavirus. Its real effects may not be felt until April on this indicator.

Layoffs have been particularly rapid in small businesses that do not have the cash to maintain the wages of their employees, reports Anne Corpet , RFI correspondent in Washington. But industries have also downsized, with massive job losses in the transportation and tourism sectors.

The sectors most affected are naturally the sectors most affected by containment, ie mass distribution, the entire sector of hotels, restaurants, cafes, a certain number of small businesses lose their turnover. In the United States, people are laid off very easily and there is no equivalent to short-time working.

Henri Sterdyniak, OFCE economist, specialist in the United States

David Baché

Our selection on SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

• Doctors' answers to your questions about the Covid-19

• Listen to Infos coronavirus , our daily chronicle on the pandemic

• Practical questions:
→ What is the lifespan of the virus?
→ Who are the vulnerable people ?
→ What should you do when you think you are contaminated ?
→ Quarantine, what are we talking about ?
→ What treatments ? The effectiveness of an antimalarial drug in question
→ The advice of a psychiatrist to live well the confinement

Find all our articles, reports, chronicles and programs on the coronavirus by clicking here .

See also our contents on containment .

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Coronavirus
• United States
• Employment and Work

On the same subject

Today the economy

United States: How flaws in the US healthcare system are strengthening the coronavirus

Americans unable to pay rent with coronavirus crisis