NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) —(UPDATED: 4-16-20)
As unemployment has reached a new high across the United States, Tennesseans are signing up for claims by the tens of thousands.
In just five weeks, the number of new unemployment claims skyrocketed to 324,501. This comes as unemployment in the U.S. has topped a record 22 million as layoffs in the last four weeks accelerate due to the coronavirus. That's more than 1 in 10 workers who have lost their job in the past month.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce said just last week, there were 74,772 new unemployment claims in the state.
That's up from just 2,702 claims four weeks before, 39,096 claims three weeks before and down from 94,492 claims two weeks before and 116,141 the week before as coronavirus caused layoffs in the state.
Data shows some of the hardest hit areas of unemployment include northern Middle Tennessee, the greater Memphis area and East Tennessee.
Number of new claims by area:
- Greater Memphis: 12,16
- Northwest Tennessee: 2,233
- Southwest Tennessee: 2,692
- Northern Middle Tennessee: 34,643
- Southern Middle Tennessee: 10,488
- Upper Cumberland: 4,052
- Southeast Tennessee: 10,442
- East Tennessee: 16,669
- Northeast Tennessee: 4,626
- West TN Mobile American Job Center: 38
- Middle TN Mobile American Job Center: 374
- East TN Mobile America Job Center: 41