NewsCoronavirus

Actions

Whitmer: COVID-19 unemployment filings exceed those during height of Great Recession

Posted at 10:40 AM, Apr 06, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-06 17:52:34-04

(WXYZ) — Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the high volume of filings for unemployment outpaces even the toughest week during the Great Recession.

Whitmer said Michigan's unemployment agency has been completely inundated. The state has been working to increase the website capacity.

"I understand how frustrating this can be," Whitmer said. "I want you to know we will get to you."

She said almost as many people in one day file for unemployment as those during the longest week of the Great Recession.

Whitmer said the state government is still waiting on the U.S. Department of Labor to give rules and authorization to pay.

"Please know I have done a lot to cut red tape and make it easier to apply for unemployment," Whitmer said.

The portal used to access the unemployment website was rebooted Friday night for maintenance and upgrades. The system was back up by Saturday morning.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Read our daily Coronavirus Live Blog for the latest updates and news on coronavirus.

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

Find out how you can help metro Detroit restaurants struggling during the pandemic.

See all of our Helping Each Other stories.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.