More than 100,000 Mainers have filed initial unemployment claims over the past five weeks as the state and nation experience historic levels of joblessness.

Just over 11,500 Mainers filed initial unemployment claims last week, the lowest weekly total since mid-March. Last week’s claims are still almost 20 times higher than the weekly total in early March, before the coronavirus pandemic threw the economy into an economic tailspin.

Across the country, more than 4.4 million Americans filed for unemployment last week. The total number of people who have filed new unemployment claims now tops 26 million.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the U.S. was 11 percent for the week ending April 11, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That number does not include self-employed workers, contractors and other workers who are still ineligible for for unemployment benefits in Maine and other states.

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coronavirus, maine businesses, unemployment
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