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The unemployment rate in some neighborhoods is triple the national average

Oct 12, 2020
In parts of the South Bronx, the unemployment rate was estimated to be nearly 30% in August. Nationwide, it's a little less than 8%.
Felix Pinzon, an unemployed construction worker, pushes a cart of food donations in May in the Bronx.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

Many are still waiting for unemployment, months later

Sep 25, 2020
For many of those who have now gone months without a paycheck or unemployment, things are dire.
Hundreds of people waited in long lines in Kentucky in June for help with their unemployment claims, months after they had initially tried to file.
John Sommers II/Getty Images

The seasonal adjustment to jobless claims has been ... adjusted

Sep 3, 2020
The adjustments smooth out predictable changes in employment, but the pandemic economy has broken them.
This week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics changed its methodology in adjusting for seasonal jobs, like that of a lifeguard. It makes the data more accurate, but also more confusing.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Here's what the crescendo of unemployment sounds like

Jun 24, 2020
Jordan Wirfs-Brock "sonified" data from unemployment claims to give us another way to process historic job losses.
Keystone/Getty Images

Jobless claims, now at 33 million, likely undercount people who aren't working due to COVID-19

May 7, 2020
Some people haven't applied for unemployment because they don't think they qualify, and others can't get through the application process.
A person fills out an unemployment benefits application. The addition of $600 a week has enabled many Americans to keep spending and support businesses.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

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States hit hardest by rising unemployment claims could soon run low on funds

Apr 16, 2020
Some states like California, New York and Texas could see their unemployment funds running low.
States struggling the most to keep up with unemployment claims, like Texas, may need to tap new funds soon.
Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images