Study: While Pa. Has Seen A More Than 2,300% Increase In Unemployment Because Of Coronavirus, That's Relatively Low Compared To Other States
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A study says compared to the rest of the states, Pennsylvania has had one of the lowest increases in unemployment since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
According to a WalletHub study, while Pennsylvania has seen more than a 2,300 percent increase in unemployment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in mid-March, that's a relatively low hit compared to other states.
The study ranks the 50 states and D.C. in order of those with the biggest increases in unemployment because of the virus. Pennsylvania sits at 32. When it comes to states with the biggest increase in unemployment last week, Pennsylvania ranks low again at 42.
WalletHub says Pa.'s increase in unemployment is less severe than other states, but there The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry says there are 1.67 million Pennsylvanians who have filed for unemployment benefits since the outbreak.
There's also the added difficulty as people tell KDKA they're trying to navigate what the Pa. auditor general calls an "ancient" online benefits program his audit described as "held together with bubble gum and rubber bands."
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Georgia, New Hamsphire and Louisiana are the states that have seen the biggest increases in unemployment because of coronavirus, the WalletHub study says. At the bottom of the list are Connecticut, Oregon and Alaska.
WalletHub says it compared the 50 states and D.C. based on increases in unemployment insurance initial claims for "several key weeks." You can read more abut the methodology behind the study study here.
