Delaware’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April 2020 rocketed to 14.3 percent, up from 5 percent in March. The figure was slightly below the national jobless rate.
The jobless rate is the highest in modern history. By contrast the jobless rate maxed out at about 10 percent after the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.
The Delaware Department of Labor reported 66,700 unemployed Delawareans in April compared to 17,600 in April 2019.
The US unemployment rate was 14.7 percent in April 2020, up from 4.4 percent in March. In April 2019, the US unemployment rate was 3.6%, while Delaware’s rate was 3.6%.
In April 2020, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was 390,600, down from 465,300 in March 2020.
Since April 2019, Delaware’s total nonfarm jobs have decreased by a loss of 74,400, a decline of 16.0 percent Nationally, jobs during that period declined 12.9 percent.
Jobless losses came in all categories. Hospitality reported the biggest loss (30,000) from March as restaurants, casinos and hotels were for the most part closed or limited to essential personnel.
See national jobless figures below.
