Press Release: 2020-03-27

Massachusetts Weekly Initial Unemployment Claimant Data

Massachusetts Weekly Initial Unemployment Claimant Data

Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

BOSTON — Between March, 15th and March 21st,, 2020, Massachusetts had 147,995 individuals file an initial claim for unemployment insurance. This represented an historically unprecedented increase of 1,904% over the prior week, and can be attributed to workers who have been laid off as a result of work closures related to COVID-19. Particularly affected industries were Food and Accommodation which registered the largest single increase in new initial claims – 44,353.

In terms of largest change in new claimants as a percent, Healthcare & Social Assistance showed an increase of 4,035%; Other Services, which includes employees of private households, showed an increase of 3,570%; and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, which showed an increase of 2,548%.

Industry

Week Ending 3/14

Week Ending 3/21

Change

% Change


Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting

30

237

207

690%


Mining

2

30

28

1400%


Utilities

5

47

42

840%


Construction

800

13,522

12,722

1590%


Manufacturing

329

2,919

2,590

787%


Wholesale Trade

196

2,279

2,083

1063%


Retail Trade

441

9,622

9,181

2082%


Transportation & Warehouse

521

6,772

6,251

1200%


Information

142

1,268

1,126

793%


Finance & Insurance

169

646

477

282%


Real Estate

119

1,676

1,557

1308%


Professional and Technical Services

521

5,175

4,654

893%


Management of Companies

87

1,703

1,616

1857%


Administrative & Waste Services

604

4,422

3,818

632%


Education

144

2,914

2,770

1924%


Healthcare & Social Assistance

440

18,192

17,752

4035%


Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

194

5,137

4,943

2548%


Food & Accomodation

1,861

44,353

42,492

2283%


Other Services

301

11,047

10,746

3570%


Public Administration

116

1,679

1,563

1347%


Information Not Available

362

14,352

13,990

3865%