The number of new applications for unemployment insurance surged last week to 853,000, a jump of more than 100,000 from the previous week, amid record-high coronavirus cases that are slowing economic growth.
In the week ending December 5, initial weekly jobless claims rose by 137,000 from a revised total of 716,000 applications. The non-seasonally adjusted number of claims totaled 947,504 last week, rising by 228,982, according to data released Thursday by the Labor Department. Another 427,609 people applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), a program created to expand jobless benefits to contractors, gig workers and others who do not typically qualify for traditional unemployment insurance. More than 19 million Americans were on some form of jobless aid as of November 21, according to the Labor Department.
Source: Jobless claims jump to 853K as record coronavirus cases hinder economy | TheHill
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