Christopher Rugaber
Andrew Walcott, owners of Fusion East Caribbean & Soul Food restaurant, poses for a photo at the restaurant in East New York neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. Walcott had to furlough four employees at his restaurant just before Christmas, after New York state stopped allowing indoor dining. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) January 14, 2021 - 8:35 AM
WASHINGTON - The number of people seeking unemployment aid soared last week to 965,000, the most since late August and a sign that the resurgent virus has likely escalated layoffs.
The latest figures for jobless claims, issued Thursday by the Labor Department, remain at levels never seen until the virus struck. Before the pandemic, weekly applications typically numbered around 225,000. They spiked to nearly 7 million last spring, after nationwide shutdowns took effect. Applications declined over the summer but have been stuck above 700,000 since September