/ Modified aug 26, 2020 10:53 a.m.

Arizona unemployment continues to grow

The unemployment picture is improving nationally, but not in Arizona.

Economic insecurity, bills, unemployment
Colleen Greer/AZPM

Last week, 88,793 Arizona residents filed first-time unemployment claims. That is an increase of nearly 40,000 over the previous week.

It was the second week in a row the number of first-time claims has increased in Arizona.

The biggest increase in first-time claims came from the self-employed. However, the number of first-time claims for regular unemployment increased. Nearly 1.3 million Arizona residents received unemployment benefits last week.

The state unemployment rate is 10.6% while the national average is 10.2% The state rate increased in July as the national average fell almost a full point.

State officials are hoping the number of unemployed will start to drop in the coming weeks as counties qualify to allow more businesses like gyms and theaters to reopen.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona