New Unemployment Claims Continue to Rise

NASHVILLE (April 9) — According to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 112,438 new unemployment claims were filed last week, ending April 4.

Claims have increased precipitously for three consecutive weeks. The spike in claims coincides with the implementation of increasingly restrictive social distancing guidelines intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Prior to the impact of the social distancing policies, during the week ending March 14, there were 2,702 new claims filed.

The following week, ending March 21, 39,096 new claims were filed, and the number increased to 94,492 the week ending March 28.

The increase in new claims is not exclusive to Tennessee. U.S. claims jumped 6.6 million last week for a three-week total of 16.5 million.

The state labor department also released a breakdown of last week’s new claims by Local Workforce Development Area.

Greater Memphis — 15,452

Northwest Tennessee — 3,409

Southwest Tennessee — 3,604

Northern Middle Tennessee — 47,325

Southern Middle Tennessee — 10,613

Upper Cumberland — 4,892

Southeast Tennessee — 13,578

East Tennessee — 25,040

Northeast Tennessee — 6,419

West TN Mobile American Job Center — 35

Middle TN Mobile American Job Center — 481

East TN Mobile American Job Center — 35