Mar 11, 2021

A year into the pandemic, a look back at unemployment numbers

For the past 51 weeks, first-time claims have been higher than at any time during the Great Recession. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

We try to get a sense of the scale and severity of joblessness over the past year. Plus, what it's been like to be a remote intern during the COVID-19 contagion.

Segments From this episode

COVID & Unemployment

A year of pandemic unemployment, by the numbers

by Mitchell Hartman

Mar 11, 2021

Three economists share statistics that depict the depth and length of the COVID-19 recession.

For the past 51 weeks, first-time claims have been higher than at any time during the Great Recession.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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Businesses plan to spend more money on themselves. What does that mean?

by Justin Ho

Mar 11, 2021

Greater capital spending is a sign that consumer demand is picking up and will probably continue to grow.

Capital spending involves large-scale business investments like buying machinery and building new workspace.

Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

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New law dramatically expands access to health care subsidies

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Mar 11, 2021

Lots of low- and middle-income folks who didn’t qualify for subsidies before will now.

Under the new law, nobody will have to pay more than 8.5% of their income on health insurance.

Stephane De Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images

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COVID-19

Craft store, rooted in hands-on learning, pivots online to survive

by Kai Ryssdal , Daisy Palacios and Minju Park

Mar 11, 2021

Amelia Freeman-Lynde wanted to show people the joys of handcraft in person. The pandemic forced her to transition to e-commerce.

Amelia Freeman-Lynde owns Freeman's Creative in Durham, North Carolina. "So much of running a small business is trying to anticipate what's coming next," she says. "And we can't do that right now."

Chika Gujarathi / Courtesy of Amelia Freeman-Lynde

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Workplace Culture

How do interns learn about the workplace when there is none?

by Meghan McCarty Carino

Mar 11, 2021

The programs are less about casual networking and observation in a remote world. Remote internships need more direction, one expert says.

"There's no observation, really, there's no serendipitous contact," in remote internships, says Marianna Savoca of Stony Brook University.

Christophe Archambault/AFP via Getty Images

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Music from the episode

Sunrise The Kooks

Goodness Emancipator

Dusty Blue Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band

Raspberry Jam Allah-Las

On It Maestro Nightmares On Wax

Ooh Wee (feat. Ghostface Killah, Nate Dogg, Trife & Saigon) Mark Ronson, Ghostface Killah, Nate Dogg, Trife, Saigon

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Daisy Palacios Senior Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer

Sean McHenry Associate Producer

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