New York State Department of Labor April 02, 2020
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THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RELEASES UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS NUMBERS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 28369,025 Unemployment Insurance Claims were Filed – an Increase of 2,674% compared to last year |
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Unemployment Claims Increased by more than 1,000% in each of New York’s Labor Markets year-over-year The New York State Department of Labor today announced that 369,025 initial Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims were filed for the week ending March 28, 2020, representing an increase of 288,516 claims from the 80,509 UI claims that were filed the previous week. Compared to last year, initial claims for Unemployment Insurance in New York State for the week ending March 28, 2020, increased by 2,674%. In each of New York’s 10 labor market regions, initial claims for UI increased by a minimum of 1,379% year-over-year. The cumulative increase in March (for the weeks ending 3/14, 3/21and 3/28) was nearly 425,000 compared to the same period in 2019. “We know that businesses across the Empire State are bearing the brunt of this developing economic crisis, and that means hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers’ livelihoods are at risk. But we have a resilient workforce in New York State — and that will not be diminished,” said New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “The keys to the success of our economy and job market are our forward-thinking employers and the hardworking men and women who make up our workforce. Through innovative thinking, strategic partnerships, and high-quality training, we have made New York’s workforce the best in the nation, and we will continue that work. As New Yorkers weather this public health crisis, our Governor and the NYS DOL will be right here, working alongside all of you, to reenergize our economy and our workforce, and ensure New York State remains prosperous on the other side of this unprecedented challenge.” The following data compares initial UI claims for the week ending March 28, 2020 with the same period one year earlier:
You can find a complete presentation of data by region and industry in the NYS DOL’s Research and Statistics Initial Claims Data Report. It is important to note that this data only reflects the initial increase in claims related to COVID-19 and more comprehensive data will be available in the weeks to come. In recent weeks, the New York State Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance filing system has faced an unprecedented increase in volume — including a 16,000% increase in phone calls and a nearly 900% increase in web traffic, compared to a typical week. In order to address this surge, the Department of Labor has:
Yesterday, Governor Cuomo also announced the launch of a new PSA that provides information on how to apply for unemployment benefits and reassures New Yorkers if their unemployment filing is delayed, they will still receive full unemployment benefits. The PSA is also available with Spanish subtitles here. The New York State Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring that every New Yorker who is entitled to UI benefits will receive all benefits due. New Yorkers seeking to file an unemployment insurance claim can visit labor.ny.gov or call the Telephone Claim Center at (888) 209-8124. You can link directly to the report here. Below are some resources that will assist New Yorkers in filing their claims: |
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