unemployment

The U.S. Department of Labor estimated 35,829 first-time jobless claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended Sept. 19, down from 37,265 the prior week. Nationally, 870,000 initial claims were filed last week, close to the four-week average of 878,250.

The state lost nearly 1.18 million non-agricultural jobs from February to April as the pandemic hit, but it has gained back 631,600, according to the Department of Economic Opportunity.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday reported 33,821 first-time unemployment claims in Florida during the week that ended Sept. 12, down from a revised 40,256 claims in the previous week.

Gig workers are now relying on a safety net program that didn't even exist six months ago. It provides unemployment benefits to the growing number who don't have a traditional payroll job.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced an estimated 36,541 first-time unemployment claims in Florida during the week that ended Sept. 5, while 884,000 new applications were filed nationally — a number that remained unchanged from the previous week.

In the largest U.S. cities, at least half of all households have seen a serious financial loss such as lost job, wages or savings. Many problems are concentrated in Black and Latino households.

This post will be updated today, Monday, September 7, and through the week with the latest information on COVID-19 in South Florida.

Fewer jobs were added to the economy last month even as the unemployment rate fell to 8.4%. Job growth has slowed since June in a sign of what could be a long and painful recovery from the recession.

First-time jobless claims dropped nearly 25 percent last week in Florida as Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to press forward with efforts to reopen the economy.

Another 881,000 people applied for state unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department says. That's down from the previous week, but the report comes with an asterisk.

Rep. Dane Eagle, the outgoing House majority leader who lost a bid for Congress last month, was named Wednesday to run the state agency that includes the troubled unemployment system.

They also could be eligible for an additional $100 from the state.