PROVIDENCE — Unemployment in Rhode Island related to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business, school and university closures has reached nearly 46,000, according to new state figures.
The claims for unemployment insurance related to the pandemic account for 94 percent of claims filed since March 9, according to the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
Since Friday, 11,169 new claims have been filed. The total is now 45,669.
Another 5,045 people have filed claims related to the respiratory disease for temporary disability insurance. These filers could include people who are still employed, but have been placed in quarantine or are caring for someone who is in quarantine or ill, state public health officials say.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
