A lot of folks have been laid off in the past week. We know this, because claims for unemployment have skyrocketed. In 2019, some 13,600 Texans applied for unemployment each month, back when the economy was doing very well. This week, 155,657 Texans have applied for unemployment. That is an 800% increase. See Texas Tribune report. In 2008-2009, during the Recession, the largest number of claims amounted to 55,000 in one month.

As I mentioned before, 26 weeks is the maximum unemployment benefit period. But, the bill which was passed last week will add  another 26 weeks, if the unemployment rate rises 10% or more. See my prior post about that first bill  here. It does seem certain that the unemployment rate will rise quite a bit. We may blow past that 10% requirement, unfortunately.

As we said in Iraq, Be Safe.