Arizona Ranks 23 For States Hit Hardest By Unemployment Claims

PHOENIX — Even as businesses begin to take steps towards reopening, thousands of additional residents in Arizona filed for unemployment benefits last week.

The national jobless rate was 14.7 percent in April, the highest since the Great Depression, and many experts expect it will near 20 percent in May.

Our state had 26,878 people file initial advanced claims for unemployment benefits during the week ending on May 23, based on tracking done by the U.S. Department of Labor.

It is an increase/decrease of -5,079 in the same figure from the week prior.

Out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Arizona has had the 46th biggest increase in unemployment claims since the start of the coronavirus crisis, according to the personal finance website WalletHub.

To read the full methodology, visit WalletHub’s website.

On a national level, jobless claims have now fallen for eight straight weeks, but about 41 million people have applied for aid since the virus outbreak intensified in March.

However, the Labor Department’s report Thursday shows that they are not all still unemployed. Around 21 million people are currently receiving unemployment benefits.

Read More: 41 Million Have Lost Jobs To Coronavirus