ORLANDO, Fla. – The senior economic analyst for Bankrate.com told News 6 he is convinced millions seeking unemployment benefits are not reflected in the Labor Department’s jobless data because they have not been able to file for benefits.
Mark Hamrick said the record 6.6 million jobless claims filed last week are the ones that got through. “It absolutely concerns me that people who need benefits can’t get through,” Hamrick said Thursday. “This is a global, national and regional game of Whac-A-Mole where lives and livelihood are at stake.” Hamrick said the final economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic will include a trail of bankruptcy and the permanent elimination of jobs in the retail and restaurant industries.