Farooqi added that "the risk of permanent damage to the labour market remains high which will slow the pace of recovery. More than 14.5 million are collecting traditional jobless benefits — up from 1.7 million a year ago — a sign that many American families are depending on unemployment checks to keep them afloat. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Aug. 8 offering a stripped-down version of the expanded unemployment benefits. Altogether, the Labour Department said that 27 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits, though that figure may be inflated due to double-counting by states. Employers slashed more than 22 million jobs in March and April.

Source: CBC News August 27, 2020 15:00 UTC