Unemployment in Tennessee is continuing its slow, gradual descent. Last week, new claims were the lowest they’ve been since the beginning of the pandemic, with just over 10,000 people applying.
The number of people receiving unemployment from week to week has also decreased. Still, more than 200,000 residents are relying on help from the state, or roughly 10 times the pre-pandemic level.
Credit Tony Gonzalez/WPLN / U.S. Department of Labor data
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U.S. Department of Labor data
The new figures come as Congress is still negotiating a new coronavirus relief bill.
Tennesseans went from seeing as much as $875 in July unemployment payments to a max of $275 thus far in August due to the expiration of federal CARES Act payments. It remains to be seen what kind of extra aid might be passed in the next relief package.
