Another 1.5 million people file for unemployment benefits for the first time, but the number who are continuing to seek the payments continues to decline as workers return to their jobs.
Lainy Morse, a preschool teacher, dreads going back to a classroom filled with kids who don't understand hand-washing or social distancing. And she'd make less than she does on unemployment.
The pain in the job market continues as an additional 1.5 million sought unemployment benefits last week. In the past 12 weeks, more than 44 million new claims have been filed.
U.S. employers unexpectedly added jobs last month as the unemployment rate declined, signs that people are returning to work as states reopen their economies. President Trump celebrated the news.
The Labor Department says about 1.9 million people filed for unemployment last week, but there are some signs that people may be returning to their jobs.
Amazon has hired 175,000 temporary workers to deal with a spike in online shopping during the coronavirus pandemic. Now it's offering most of them permanent jobs.
More than 1 in 4 U.S. workers have lost their jobs since coronavirus shutdowns began. Last week, an additional 2.1 million people filed for unemployment benefits.