According to preliminary data from the Alabama Department of Labor, 48,191 Alabamians filed for unemployment between Sunday and Wednesday, a number that shatters all records.
In the month of February, 5,819 Alabamians filed for unemployment.
The worst week of the Great Recession from 2007-2009 saw 20,894 unemployment claims filed in Alabama.
Yellowhammer News confirmed the numbers in this story with a spokesperson for the department.
The United States Department of Labor reported Thursday morning that 3.28 million people filed for unemployment insurance across the United States last week, a period of time when the Department of Labor says Alabama lost 10,892 jobs.
The 48,191 new claims have all come since then.
All numbers for the current week are preliminary.
The breakdown as follows:
- February — 5,819
- Week ending March 21 — 10,892
- March 22 and 23 (Sunday and Monday) — 16,955
- March 24 (Tuesday) — 14,326
- March 25 (Wednesday) — 16,768
WSFA reported earlier in the week that so many people were filing jobless claims that the Alabama Department of Labor’s capabilities were being strained.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.