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%