Massachusetts Unemployment: Another 44,000 File For Jobless Benefits
BOSTON (CBS) -- Another 44,467 people filed an initial claim for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts last week. It's a drop of just over 10,000 filings from the previous week.
It's also the first time since mid-March that the number of new claims dropped below 50,000.
The federal data also shows that 70,464 people in the Bay State filed new claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. That program is for self-employed workers, contractors who receive a 1099 form and "gig economy" workers who are not typically covered by the traditional unemployment system.
Currently, at least 576,970 Massachusetts residents are receiving unemployment benefits.
The Pioneer Institute, a think tank in Boston, released a new map Thursday morning that shows which cities, towns, and zip codes are hardest hit. They include Barnstable and Berkshire counties, and Provincetown, Lawrence, and Amherst.
Our new #COVID #Unemployment Tracker reveals the hardest hit areas of #Massachusetts by county, city/town & even neighborhood! See where your town ranks -> https://t.co/2dlrraftZ7 #mapoli pic.twitter.com/gMffBpUUzY
— Pioneer Institute (@PioneerBoston) May 14, 2020
"This is just unprecedented. It's equivalent to Great Depression unemployment rates," Boston College economist Robert Murphy told WBZ-TV. "The big question, as we move forward is, are most of these jobs coming back? People for the most part are reporting that they're on temporary layoffs."
In the United States, 3 million more filed for jobless benefits. About 36 million people nationwide have applied for unemployment since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.
Gov. Charlie Baker has said Massachusetts businesses will learn more Monday about when they can begin a phased reopening.
Learn more about applying for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts here.