The latest figure from the Labor Department marked the 10th straight weekly decline in applications for jobless aid since they peaked in mid-March when the coronavirus hit hard. More than 47 million new jobless claims have been filed since the deadly coronavirus crisis took root three months ago. Data from Kronos, whose software tracks workers’ hours, shows that the number of shifts worked has recovered steadily since bottoming in mid-April. Shifts worked have risen 25 percent since then, recovering nearly half the work that was lost to the pandemic-induced business shutdowns. Twenty-four states reported a rise in applications for jobless aid last week, up from just four the week before, though the state data isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends so it can be volatile.

Source: The Standard June 11, 2020 14:37 UTC