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Nationwide, 853,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 853,000 last week. This is a large increase from the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 716,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was […]

Washington ranks third in the percentage of establishments that experienced a government-mandated closure

Yesterday the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the results of a survey that asked businesses how they have changed their operations due to the pandemic. The results are available by industry, establishment size, and state. I’ve pulled some interesting points in the table below. Notably, Washington ranks third among the states in the percentage […]

In Washington 22,334 filed initial claims for regular unemployment insurance last week

This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 32,718 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the week ending November 28. Of this total, 22,334 initial claims were under the regular state unemployment insurance program; 3,302 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment […]

More details on how federal funding will be used for economic support, as applications are open for a new round of small business grants

Last week I wrote about the additional allocations of the state’s share of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) that Gov. Inslee made for economic support. The Office of Financial Management has now posted the official allocations of these funds (here and here), totaling $135 million: $15 million for low income home energy assistance, $20 […]

Nationwide, 778,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 712,000 last week. This is down from the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 787,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 739,500, down […]

Update on personal income, consumer spending and saving rates during the Covid-19 recession

Here are updates of two charts I have previously posted regarding income and consumer spending during the Covid-19 recession, including new numbers for October and revisions to numbers for prior months. On the first chart, the stacked columns show estimated personal income for the U.S. as a whole, by month, from January 2019 through October […]

In Washington 30,274 filed initial claims for regular unemployment insurance last week

Yesterday afternoon the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 43,057 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the week ending November 21. Of this total, 30,274 initial claims were under the regular state unemployment insurance program; 4,396 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment […]

Nationwide, 778,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

Nationwide, 778,000 filed for unemployment insurance last weekThe U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 778,000 last week. This is up from the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 748,000. The 4-week moving average […]

Gov. Inslee allocates additional federal funds for economic support

On Sunday, Nov. 15, Gov. Inslee announced that he would allocate $50 million of the state’s share of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) for aid for businesses. As I wrote last week, a proposal for use of CRF dollars that the governor submitted to the Legislature on Nov. 17 also included $20 million for […]

More information on the proposed $50 million in business assistance

On Sunday, Gov. Inslee announced $50 million in aid for businesses but provided few details. Joseph O’Sullivan of the Seattle Times reports that the $50 million will come from the state’s share of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). The governor has not formally made the allocation, but he has shared his plan with the Legislature. […]