In the last three weeks, 10% of the country’s workforce filed for unemployment benefits, according to the Labor Department while Florida’s unemployment claims hit nearly 170,000 and those numbers sets the stage for what some experts predict will be a grim economic picture with long-lasting impact.
Thursday’s jobless claims report eclipsed expectations of 5 million as another 6.6 million people filed new claims for the week ending April 4.
The 3-week total for new unemployment benefits now stands at 16.8 million something some experts says is just the beginning. “We’re going to have elevated unemployment for months and years,” financial analyst Greg McBride said.