New England states saw both rises and falls in new unemployment claims for the week ending May 8, as many industries remain desperate for workers. New Hampshire and Connecticut saw new unemployment claims increase, while Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine saw dips, pointing to an ongoing unequal recovery across the region. Nationally, unemployment claims across the U.S. dropped to 473,000 last week, down 34,000 claims from 507,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis. What does the labor shortage look like nationwide? Many industries are continuing to find themselves desperately in need of workers, especially service industries, as some frame the narrative around people choosing to stay on unemployment to receive $300 bonus benefits lasting through September.