Another 965,000 people applied for the first time to seasonal unemployment benefits in the United States last week, the Department of Labor reported on Thursday.
This was substantially higher than the previous week, in which 784,000 Americans applied for unemployment benefits.
Weekly claims for the first time unemployed are blocked at an uncomfortably high level. At the end of August, the figure fell below 1 million, but since then, significant improvements have been hard to find – and last week was a huge step in the wrong direction.
In addition to the usual complaints, 284,470 workers applied for unemployment assistance in the event of a pandemic. The program provides assistance to people such as the self-employed or workers who are not covered by regular benefits. After the new incentive agreement extended the program, it is due to end in March.
In total, initial benefit claims totaled 1.4 million last week, excluding seasonal adjustments.
Ongoing claims, which include workers who have been asking for help for at least two weeks in a row, amounted to 5.3 million in the week ending 2 January.
This is a developing story. It will be updated