Nearly 3.3 million people in the United States filed for unemployment insurance between March 15 and March 21, among them more than 76,000 Oregonians. The claims follow a wave of shutdowns and layoffs across many industries across the U.S. as politicians and health care officials urge people to stay home.
The new unemployment claims are nearly five times the previous record of 695,000 set in October 1982.
Projections of unemployment figures as the crisis continues vary. Morgan Stanley economists calculate unemployment could rise to 12.8% throughout the duration of the economic crisis, while the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis said in a blog post that almost one-third of all US workers may experience unemployment during the second quarter of 2020.
Further, current Department of Labor statistics include over 22,000 new claims in Oregon. Those claims, however, are only those that have been processed. The Oregon Employment Department actually received over 76,500 that week, according to an OED press release.
Shannon Canfield is one Eugenean whose claim hasn’t been processed yet. Canfield was laid off from her job at an auto repair shop on March 17.
That day she tried to file for unemployment insurance, but due to a previous, unsuccessful claim due to a motorcycle accident in September 2019, she was instructed to apply over the phone rather than online.
Since then, she’s called the OED almost 175 times, including one call during which she was on hold for almost 90 minutes before being disconnected. She still hadn’t gotten through as of March 28.
Canfield’s story isn’t unique. The surge in unemployment has overburdened the OED’s ability to process claims. Despite processing more than four times the previous record of claims and more than doubling the workforce dedicated to new claims, the OED faces a mounting backlog of cases.
“We’re trying to meet an unprecedented level of need,” OED Communications Director Gail Krumenauer said in an interview.
One way Krumenauer said claimants could help is to file online when possible. The department has improved its website’s capacity to handle increased traffic, something it can’t do with the phone lines. Except under special circumstances, it’s faster and easier to file online, she said.
Politicians from the local to federal level have taken steps to ease economic hardships. In Oregon, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced an eviction moratorium on March 17. Gov. Brown extended the moratorium statewide on March 22.
RELATED: Gov. Brown issues executive order halting evictions
At the federal level, lawmakers passed the largest stimulus bill in history on Friday. The bill will both provide many Americans with $1,200 directly, as well as extend unemployment benefits.
Those eligible for the $1,200 check include individuals with Social Security numbers who earn less than $75,000 per year. Those who earn between $75,000 and $99,000 will receive a smaller check on a sliding scale. The Washington Post has created a calculator to help people determine how much to expect.
Students whose guardians claimed them as dependents this year are ineligible for a check.
The bill also mandates the expansion of unemployment insurance. Anyone who receives state unemployment insurance will get an extra $600 per week, and benefits will be extended an additional 13 weeks. That means for Oregonians, who can typically draw unemployment insurance for 26 weeks a year, the new limit will be 39 weeks.
Unemployment insurance will also be extended to include typically excluded workers, such as freelancers, gig workers and independent contractors.