Weekly Unemployment Claims up to 281,000 Due to Coronavirus Layoffs Jobless claims have reached their highest total since <br />September 2017, according to the Labor Department. The number rose from 211,000 <br />unemployed last week. Labor Department, via statement Labor Department, via statement Companies are just starting to announce <br />coronavirus-related layoffs, so the jobless <br />numbers are likely to rise again next week. Ian Shepherdson from Pantheon Macroeconomics believes the number could be as high <br />as 2-3 million unemployed. Ian Shepherdson, via CNBC
