GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan saw a slight decrease in the number of people filing for employment last week, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
According to a recent DOL report, as of last week an estimated 988,272 people were unemployed -- which is down from the 1.1 million last week.
It's likely a number of people have been able to return to work as auto suppliers, manufacturing, real estate and commercial construction have resumed in the last two weeks.
But, according to the report, Michigan still has the second-highest unemployment rate in country behind California.
The DOL said the highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 25 were in California (27.7), Michigan (23.1), Nevada (22.0), Pennsylvania (21.2), Rhode Island (20.6), Georgia (20.2), Vermont (20.0), New York (18.6), Connecticut (18.0), and Washington (18.0).
Back in April, the U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7%, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst month loss on record. The collapse of the job market occurred in what economist said was "stunning speed." In February, the unemployment rate was a five-decade low of 3.5%, in March is was just 4.4%.
Earlier this week, the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency provided an update on claims in Michigan stating since the onset of the crisis on March 15, 1,717,555 claimants have applied for state and federal benefits, with $5.62 billion in benefits paid to 1,374,751 of workers. Roughly 92% of eligible claimants have received benefits or have been approved to receive benefits, the agency said.
Whitmer said this week that around 31,000 state employees would face temporary layoffs through late July as Michigan confronts a budget shortfall amid the pandemic.
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