Minnesota’s economy has suffered from the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the largest symptoms is the unemployment rate.
Minnesotan’s filed 31,000 unemployment claims in the week ending on May 16, which was 6,000 fewer claims than the previous week. The claims brought Minnesota’s claims to “approximately 511,517” according to Center Square. MN’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims were 3,036, less than half of the previous week’s 7,680. The jobs change in April alone was 5.2%, with sources saying 360,000 jobs were lost in the private sector.
“Almost half of those jobs were lost in leisure and hospitality and other services, which includes personal services, all of the hairdressers and barbershops that were shut down,” said Oriane Casale, a director at the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED), according to MPR.
Though MN is one of the leading states for the lowest unemployment, many people find the 8.1% rate unacceptable. Among those working to reopen the economy is former Congressman, and current MN Senate candidate, Jason Lewis.
I ran a family biz. for many years. Unlike politicians like @TinaSmithMN & Walz, I actually HAVE created jobs, signed paychecks, & been responsible for the livelihoods of others.
— Jason Lewis (@LewisForMN) May 24, 2020
Their economic lockdown is killing jobs by the thousands, so Tuesday I filed a lawsuit to stop them.
While Minnesota still fairs better than almost every other state in terms of the unemployment rate. The last time Minnesota saw anuan rate so high was in the recession of 1983 when the unemployment rate reached 8.9%.
(Image from The Center of the American Experiment)
“As a state, we’ve paid out $1.9 billion in unemployment checks since May 16, to over 530,000 people,” wrote Steve Grove, commissioner of MN DEED, on May 8th.
Judah Torgerud
Judah Torgerud is a freelance journalist working with Alpha News to keep the people informed and bring the truth to light. Contact him at whqnu@nycunarjfza.pbz.
