Massachusetts Lost 623,000 Jobs In April; Unemployment Rate Climbs To 15.1%
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Massachusetts unemployment rate rose to 15.1% in April, a month when the state lost 623,000 jobs. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said Friday that's a jump of 12.3 percentage points from the previous month.
"The monthly change in the job estimates reflects the ongoing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," the office said in a statement.
The April unemployment rate nationwide was 14.7%.
The leisure and hospitality industry was hit the hardest, losing 216,200 jobs - or 61% of the workforce. Construction lost 60,000 jobs (37.1%).
Last week, there were another 38,000 initial unemployment claims filed in the state. Massachusetts has seen nearly 860,000 unemployment claims as the coronavirus takes its toll on the economy.
Learn more about applying for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts here.