Apr 3, 2020

Unemployment rate soars

GDP is growing but unemployment claims are still high in this two-tiered economy. Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images

After almost 9 1/2 years of American payrolls growing month over month, there was a sickening drop in March. And the latest numbers don't even capture the worst of it. Plus, the history of the U.S. census.

Segments From this episode

COVID-19

Jobs report shows even early March saw severe economic damage from COVID-19

by Mitchell Hartman

Apr 3, 2020

We're already seeing the biggest one-month rise in unemployment since 1975.

We’ll have to wait for the April report — in more than a month — to see the entire impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images

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Shelf Life

Tracing the history of the census, at a time when 2020 operations are suspended

by David Brancaccio and Candace Manriquez Wrenn

Apr 3, 2020

The 2020 census was planning to deploy up to 500,000 census takers to follow up with households that didn't respond online or by mail.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced that it has suspended census field operations for now over concerns of the census workers and their public interactions amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Music from the episode

Smoke & Mirrors TOKiMONSTA

The team

David Brancaccio Host

Victoria Craig Host, BBC

Stephen Ryan Senior Producer, BBC

Jonathan Frewin Producer, BBC

Daniel Shin Producer

Jay Siebold Technical Director

Brian Allison Engineer

Meredith Garretson Morbey Senior Producer

Erika Soderstrom Producer

Rose Conlon Producer

Alex Schroeder Producer

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