Unemployment Rate

Government

Yes take-backs. Workers asked to return pandemic cash in Washington state

Last month, joblessness our state reached its highest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic – higher than the national average. And the first thing many do when they’ve lost a job is file for unemployment benefits. But Washington’s unemployment system itself is still reeling from the one-two punch of Covid.

Government

Washington state proposes new unemployment benefits formula as federal dollars dry up

While Washington DC grapples with how to extend support to millions of jobless people in a pandemic, Washington state has a message: keep it simple.

Government

Thousands of Washingtonians still waiting for first unemployment check

One woman’s story of unemployment insecurity during the pandemic

Arts & Life

Hunger is way up in Washington state. One in four people

One in four people in Washington are going hungry, according to a new report by the hunger relief agency Northwest Harvest. The state’s hunger rate is much higher than originally expected.

Government

Crime didn't pay: State zeroes in on unemployment fraudsters

Paige Browning talks to Kim Malcolm about the main coronavirus related news of the day, including unemployment fraud, the latest jobless numbers, and new Covid-19 regulations for agriculture.

National

'The Sheer Volume Is Hard To Capture': Unemployment In Nevada Soars To Historic High

More than 41% of jobs in the state's food and accommodation industry have been lost. The overall levels are comparable to the Great Depression, says David Schmidt, a state economist.

This simple step may prevent fraudsters from posing as you for unemployment money

An international band of imposters have been posing as tens of thousands of Washingtonians to file for unemployment claims since the beginning of May, according to the Employment Security Department. This may have cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.