More Americans Shifting to Hybrid Workplace Model as Spring Recovery Begins With more states and cities lifting restrictive business measures amid a decline in the number of coronavirus cases, the jobs economy continues to show signs of improvement. Let’s take a look inside the latest jobless claim figures released by the Department of Labor this morning as Rob Bowerman of The Bowerman Group shares his views! April 1, 2021 – The Labor Department reported this morning that 719,000 Americans filed new claims for state unemployment benefits. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected 675,000 filings. This is the lowest level for this average since March 14, 2020 when it was 225,500. The previous week’s average was revised down by 6,500 from 736,000 to 729,500. The Fed have now reported over 80 million initial jobless claims over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic — a number equivalent to roughly 47 percent of the nation’s workforce. Since last February, the United States has lost over 10 million jobs. While the number of weekly claims remains inordinately high by historical means, the trend is falling now that the U.S. economy continues to reopen and close to 3 million Americans receive vacations each day for COVID-19, according to CNBC.