Updated state unemployment numbers : In 10 states, more than one in six workers are receiving or have filed for regular unemployment

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released the most recent unemployment insurance (UI) claims data yesterday, showing that another 1.5 million people filed for regular UI benefits last week (not seasonally adjusted) and 0.7 million for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), the new program for workers who aren’t eligible for regular UI, such as gig workers. As we look at the aggregate measures of economic harm, it is important to remember that this recession is deepening racial inequalities. Black communities are suffering more from this pandemic—both physically and economically—as a result of, and in addition to, systemic racism and violence. As of last week, more than one in five people in the workforce are either receiving or have recently applied for unemployment benefits—regular or PUA. These benefits are a critical lifeline that help workers make ends meet while practicing the necessary social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus. In fact, the $600 increase in weekly UI benefits was perhaps the most effective measure in the CARES Act for insulating workers from economic harm and jump-starting an eventual economic rebound, and it should be extended past July. Figure A and Table 1 show the total number of workers who either made it through at least the first round of regular state UI processing as of May 30 (these are known as “continued” claims) or filed initial regular UI claims during the weeks of May 30 or June 6. Figure A and Table 2 show the total number of workers who either made it through at least the first round of PUA processing by May 23 or filed initial PUA claims during the weeks of May 23, May 30, or June 6. We do not sum the two totals together because some states have misreported PUA claims in their initial claims data, leading to potential double counting.1 Figure A New and cumulative jobless claims by state : Unemployment insurance (UI) claims filed and numbers and shares of workers either receiving unemployment benefits or waiting for approval during the week ending June 6 State Initial regular UI claims filed in most recent week Total currently receiving or applied for regular UI Regular UI as a share of labor force Total currently receiving or applied for PUA Alabama 19,347 211,071 9.4% 57,855 Alaska 7,427 61,448 17.8% 19,391 Arizona 22,879 247,046 6.8% 894,313 Arkansas 9,151 128,906 9.4% 0 California 258,060 3,341,467 17.1% 1,300,660 Colorado 13,128 289,379 9.1% 128,813 Connecticut 15,279 300,197 15.6% 54,199 Delaware 2,921 62,098 12.7% 0 Washington D.C. 3,291 77,133 18.6% 0 Florida 110,520 1,254,775 12.0% 0 Georgia 134,711 977,160 19.0% 0 Hawaii 6,694 133,425 19.9% 120,250 Idaho 3,665 53,704 6.0% 2,365 Illinois 44,814 834,372 13.0% 109,502 Indiana 23,604 273,829 8.1% 256,794 Iowa 10,112 176,527 10.1% 21,156 Kansas 8,824 124,021 8.3% 48,615 Kentucky 40,536 280,346 13.5% 0 Louisiana 22,002 341,096 16.2% 201,381 Maine 3,031 90,444 13.0% 93,193 Maryland 41,104 310,969 9.5% 234,866 Massachusetts 44,732 639,945 16.7% 1,105,114 Michigan 28,504 910,062 18.4% 1,767,907 Minnesota 29,209 461,435 14.8% 73,040 Mississippi 21,021 196,782 15.4% 74,600 Missouri 18,587 269,277 8.7% 84,860 Montana 2,892 50,875 9.5% 70,751 Nebraska 4,729 68,801 6.6% 21,238 Nevada 13,200 350,953 22.5% 477,579 New Hampshire 6,055 114,212 14.7% 0 New Jersey 22,621 606,794 13.3% 546,712 New Mexico 5,913 119,986 12.5% 51,355 New York 94,348 1,881,352 19.7% 1,303,899 North Carolina 33,148 600,561 11.7% 186,650 North Dakota 2,527 39,418 9.7% 9,014 Ohio 35,474 581,932 10.0% 554,102 Oklahoma 50,397 260,857 14.1% 4,275 Oregon 23,445 501,756 23.8% 0 Pennsylvania 50,088 953,018 14.5% 1,272,259 Rhode Island 3,485 83,510 15.0% 49,364 South Carolina 22,734 251,486 10.5% 121,961 South Dakota 817 22,827 4.9% 5,313 Tennessee 21,417 347,419 10.3% 99,535 Texas 89,736 1,437,877 10.1% 337,388 Utah 5,452 88,494 5.4% 16,385 Vermont 1,560 47,844 14.1% 12,457 Virginia 30,164 457,579 10.3% 219,996 Washington 33,502 534,974 13.5% 220,742 West Virginia 4,216 99,883 12.4% 0 Wisconsin 25,731 306,455 9.9% 16,560 Wyoming 1,610 20,886 7.1% 3,833 Notes: Initial claims for the week ending June 6 reflect advance state claims, not seasonally adjusted. For comparisons to the size of the labor force, we use February 2020 levels. Totals reflect the number of workers whose have made it through at least the first round of processing or are waiting for their claim to be processed