News

Alexandria’s initial unemployment claims just ballooned 108%

By James Cullum

Alexandria’s initial (first-time) unemployment claims ballooned 108% for the week ending March 20, while continued claims increased just 4% over the previous week.

There were 1,478 initial claims for the week ending March 20, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. Thats the largest number of the year, eclipsing the 709 claims for the week ending March 13 and the 440 claims from the week ending March 6.

There were also 1,315 continued claims for the week ending March 20, which was a slight increase from the 1,262 claims the previous week, and still 16% less than the 1,529 continued claims for the week ending March 6.

The week ending March 20 is the 53rd since the pandemic began in Virginia. Statewide, initial claims in Virginia rose 13% to 17,560, and continued claims fell 3% to 58,233.

Looking for work? The Alexandria Workforce Development Center hosts weekly workshops, and there are a number of job openings with the city.

Learn more about filing a weekly or continued claim here.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.