National unemployment numbers expected to release, Minnesotans feeling frustrated
The dining section is closed off at East Side Pockets, a small restaurant near Brown University, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Providence, R.I. President Donald Trump wants the country open for business by mid-April, but some experts warn it's not as easy as flipping a switch: Economies run on confidence, and that is likely to be in short supply for as long as coronavirus cases in the United States are still rising. [AP Photo/David Goldman]
On Thursday morning, investors will be paying close attention to national unemployment numbers when they have to release it later in the morning.
Unfortunately, far too many Minnesotans are having to deal with unemployment during these times.
The numbers will be some of the first we've seen since states started to order businesses to close.
Here in Minnesota, more than 160,000 people have applied for unemployment benefits over the last nine days.
That's more than 10 times the number of people who filed in the whole month of February.
The department of employment and economic development says up to 28% of Minnesotans will be temporarily jobless over the next two weeks.
For a little perspective, the state's unemployment rate as recently as January was about 3%.
DEED says they're getting thousands of applications each day and many Minnesotans say they are frustrated because when they try to file claims, they're having problems.
"I’ve tried it 10 times now, and you have to start over each time," ?said Todd Neumeyer from Cottage Grove. "I don't know how long this is going to last, but I’d like to get some assistance and move on.”
There are two helpful suggestions that 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS was told.
First, check the "frequently asked questions" section on the state's unemployment website. Officials tell us they are updated that daily to address new, unique situations people bring up.
Also, consider using a desktop or laptop computer to file online rather than a phone or tablet. People have reported having more success with that.