Another 3.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week

OAKLAND, Calif. - The U.S. Department of Labor released its weekly jobs report. The report found nearly 3.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week. More than 33 million people have filed claims since mid-March.

"We're remarkably in Great Depression levels of unemployment," said Alex Field, professor of economics at Santa Clara University. "We went from under 4 percent to over 20 percent nationally in less than 2 months. In the Great Depression we went from under 4 percent to 25 percent but that took place over 4 years."

The COVID-19 pandemic led to shelter-in-place orders, brought travel to a halt, closed schools, and non-essential businesses. This has led to sweeping layoffs and an uncertain future. What jobs will be available when restrictions are lifted?

Field said the Bay Area will continue to feel the impact.

"It’s the restaurants, it’s the bars, the gyms, it’s manufacturing, you know Elon Musk’s tesla plant is shut down, construction. Those are the sectors of the economy where you simply can’t phone it in," said Field. "Those are the ones that are really feeling the pinch.”