PHOENIX —
You’ve seen Arizona’s businesses – restaurants, hotels and more – shutting down abruptly over the last several days as coronavirus restrictions take hold.
Now we’re seeing the unprecedented impact on Arizona workers: a historic surge in claims for jobless benefits.
Here are the numbers:
- Last week, there were 29,000 claims for first-time jobless benefits, according to the state Department of Economic Security.
- That is almost eight times the number the week before and triple the highest weekly number during the depths of the Great Recession in 2009.
- The worst isn’t over. In just the first two days of this week, 24,000 people have filed for first-time jobless benefits, according to DES.
Arizona’s benefits aren’t much of a life preserver.
The payments of $240 a week or $960 a month are the second-lowest in the country.
More help might be on the way.
Congress and the White House are still hashing out a trillion-dollar-plus bailout package for businesses and workers.
Gov. Doug Ducey has $50 million at his disposal in a COVID-19 package, thanks to the Legislature. The governor appears to be waiting for Congress to act before releasing his plan for helping the state’s unemployed.
There are several resources for people looking for work: