AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) – Nearly 3 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week as the viral outbreak led more companies to slash jobs even though most states have begun to let some businesses reopen under certain restrictions.
Roughly 36 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the two months since the coronavirus first forced millions of businesses to close their doors and shrink their workforces, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Still, the number of first-time applications has now declined for six straight weeks, suggesting that a dwindling number of companies are reducing their payrolls.
Officials with the Texas Wortkforce Commission say that in the week ending March 14, the agency has paid benefits to some 2.3 million people for a total of 4.6-billion dollars. The amount equals 3 years worth of benefits having been paid out in just two weeks. Benefits were paid using state and federal funds according to Cisco Gamez, Media Public Relations Specialist with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday the agency gives a Facebook live COVID-19 update related to claims and available jobs and job training across the state.
(Associated Press)
