13,000+ Filed For Unemployment In RI Last Week

CRANSTON, RI — The number of Rhode Islanders filing new unemployment claims fell again over the past week. A total of 13,138 claims were filed, down nearly 5,000 from the week before, when 18,078 claims were filed.

During Wednesday's daily news conference, Gov. Gina Raimondo said more than 180,000 claims have been filed since the beginning of crisis. The Department of Labor and Training has been working around the clock, she said, and was one of the first in the country to provide coronavirus-related benefits.

Related: Applying For Unemployment, Disability In Rhode Island

With so many Rhode Islanders out of work amid the stay-at-home order, Raimondo has repeatedly said it is her top priority to get people back to work as soon as possible. If everyone continues to comply with the order until it expires May 8, Raimondo said she is hopeful that the state will be in a position where it is possible to begin the phased reopening process.

"Every day I look at the data, I look at the data as it relates to those six indicators [for reopening the economy,]" Raimondo said at the time. "I think you know that the last thing I want to do is keep people out of work one minute more than necessary."

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