ROANOKE, Va. – Applications for temporary unemployment assistance in Virginia increased during the week ending on March 28th as the U.S. economy bears the weight of growing fears around the COVID-19 virus, according to a release Thursday from the U.S. Employment and Training Administration.
The number of applications submitted in Virginia during the week ending on March 28th rose to 114,104, an increase of 146.6% from the number of applications submitted the previous week and an increase of 5401.6% from the number of applications submitted the same week last year.
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Since March 14th, the state has processed 160,381 claims for unemployment. That represents 4.3% of the total workforce of Virginia that is eligible for the unemployment insurance program.
Virginia contributed to a national increase in the seasonally-adjusted number of claims of 3069% over the same week last year.
As of March 21st, 42,200 total people in Virginia were receiving unemployment benefits. That represents 1.1% of all eligible employees in the state.
Click here for detailed instructions on how to file or re-open a claim.