Posted:
/ Updated:
Premium Getty Image for WFLA USE ONLY
TAMPA, Fla (WFLA) – Florida has struggled in handling unemployment since the coronavirus arrived, and a new study shows that the recovery from unemployment may be just as difficult.
In a new report, WalletHub researchers identified which states were recovering the fastest from the 16.3 million Americans who are currently unemployed in the wake of the pandemic.
WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three metrics based on changes in unemployment claims.
Florida was last on the list, with a 1,003.71% change in unemployment last week alone, compared to the same time frame last year.
The state also experienced a 2,511.66% increase in unemployment claims since March, compared to 2019.
Things seemed to take a positive turn last week when new claims in Florida were reported to be 55,106, but the number was later revised to 61,584.
One of many problems the state is having is getting its hospitality and tourism employees back to work, an industry that is suffering and makes up a significant portion of the state’s revenue.
Connecticut, Oregon, and New Jersey topped the list of states with the fastest unemployment recovery since the start of the pandemic, making dents in unemployment by helping residents get back to work.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 57.4 million new unemployment claims have been filed, with an average of 135,000 per week, the Department of Labor reports.
LATEST NEWS FROM WFLA.COM:
