Massachusetts Unemployment, Pandemic Assistance Claim Numbers Remain Steady
BOSTON (CBS) -- There was little change to the unemployment situation in Massachusetts last week. The latest federal numbers show the state reporting 29,671 new claims for benefits, a drop of 740 from the previous week.
Massachusetts also reported a slight drop in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims, with 14,131 last week compared to 15,892 from the week before. That program provides benefits for those not covered by traditional unemployment insurance, such as the self-employed and "gig economy" workers.
More than 1 million traditional unemployment claims have now been filed in Massachusetts, according to the state.
Nationwide, nearly 1.5 million Americans filed for initial unemployment benefits. CBS News reports it's a troubling sign that the U.S. economy may be slowing.
"The chart shows that initial claims are now barely falling, after dropping sharply in April and May," said Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics. "This is bad enough, but a renewed increase would serve to emphasize the importance of extending enhanced unemployment benefits, which currently are scheduled to expire at the end of July."
Learn more about applying for unemployment in Massachusetts here.