Jobless claims rise to 853,000 last week amid relentless pandemic

Posted By: Staff
December 10, 2020 @ 8:46 am
ABC Business

courtneyk/iStock

courtneyk/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) — Another 853,000 workers filed for unemployment insurance last week, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the labor market, the U.S. Department of Labor announced on Thursday.

This week’s tally is an uptick of 137,000 compared to last week’s figure, reflecting a concerning new spike.

Thursday’s economic data from the DOL also comes as new virus cases surge across the nation. Health officials said that last week marked the deadliest week for the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic, with 15,578 deaths.