NJ unemployment claims jump up 32 percent
TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey's jobless claims jumped 32% last week to 206,000, breaking a record set the week before, the state Labor Department said Thursday.
The spike in claims reflects the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the state's economy, according to the Labor Department.
The hardest-hit workers were from the food service industry, followed by those at doctors' and dentists' offices, the department said. Administrative workers were also hit hard.
A $600 supplemental unemployment benefit for workers that stems from the federal relief bill is set to begin for laid-off workers next week. It will be issued separately from regular jobless payments.
New Jersey is among the hardest-hit states by COVID-19, with more than 47,000 positive cases and over 1,500 deaths.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.