North Carolina jobless rate increases to 12% amid COVID-19

RALEIGH, N.C. — State officials said North Carolina’s unemployment rate ballooned to just over 12% in April as the state dealt with a coronavirus-related economic slowdown.

The rate represents a nearly 8-point increase from the rate in March, which had been around 4%. The national rate for April was 14.7%.

The number of people classified as unemployed grew by nearly 360,000, more than doubling the number in March.

The industry hit the hardest was leisure and hospitality, which declined by about 250,000 over the month.

Employment in education and health services fell by about 60,000, and trade, transportation and utilities declined by a similar number.

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