ALBANY – The NYS Department of Labor announced that 369,025 initial Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims were filed for the week ending March 28, 2020, representing an increase of 288,516 claims from the 80,509 UI claims that were filed the previous week. Compared to last year, initial claims for Unemployment Insurance in New York State for the week ending March 28, 2020, increased by 2,674%. In each of New York’s 10 labor market regions, initial claims for UI increased by a minimum of 1,379% year-over-year.
Nationwide, over 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment in the week ending March 28 due to the coronavirus shutdown.
The total increase in NY filings for March (for the weeks ending 3/14, 3/21 and 3/28) was nearly 425,000 compared to the same period in 2019.
The huge number of claims has overwhelmed the NYS Department of Labor unemployment insurance claims center. The agency reports more than 8 million calls were made the week ending March 28 and claimants are finding it impossible to get through on the phone lines to complete their claims.
The following data compares initial Unemployment Insurance claims in NY for the week ending March 28, 2020 with the same period one year earlier:
- Labor market regions with the most rapid over-the-year percentage increase in initial claims included: Long Island (+3,605%), Western NY (+3,304%), Hudson Valley (+2,773%), Capital Region (+2,768%) and Central NY (+2,765%). At the same time, initial claims for out-of-state residents grew by 1,648%.
- On a net basis, regions with the largest over-the-year increase in initial claims included: New York City (+138,544), Long Island (+50,976), Western NY (+36,471), Hudson Valley (+33,059) and Finger Lakes (+24,089). Initial claims for out-of-state residents grew by 15,853 during this timeframe.
- For the week ending March 28, 2020, all statewide industries experienced an increase in initial claims for Unemployment Insurance over the past year.
- Statewide industries in New York with the most rapid over-the-year percentage increase in initial claims included: Other Services (+9,153%), Accommodation and Food Services (+4,159%), Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (+3,880%), Healthcare and Social Assistance (+3,847%) and Educational Services (+3,800%).
