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How the BLS does the numbers

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In this photo illustration, a COVID-19 Unemployment Assistance Updates logo is displayed on a smartphone on top of an application for unemployment benefits on May 8, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia. - With shops and factories closed nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, nearly all of the jobs created in the US economy in the last decade were wiped out in a single month. An unprecedented 20.5 million jobs were destroyed in April in the world's largest economy, driving the unemployment rate to 14.7 percent compared to 4.4 percent in March, the Labor Department said in its monthly report, the first to capture the impact of a full month of the lockdowns. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

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Segments From this episode

Race and Economy

The pipeline problem for Black women in economics

by Andie Corban and Kai Ryssdal Jul 1, 2020
Kai Ryssdal talks with Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, CEO of the Sadie Collective.
COVID-19

Miscalculation of unemployment data not easy to fix

by Andy Uhler Jul 1, 2020
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said it might have been undercounting the number of workers classified as "unemployed on temporary layoff."
COVID-19

States with travel curbs often rely on businesses to enforce the rules

by Kristin Schwab Jul 1, 2020
New York, Connecticut and New Jersey have imposed quarantines on visitors from 16 states. Enforcing pandemic safety rules can be a delicate task for businesses.
Race and Economy

Goldman Sachs starts diverse board member policy for handling IPOs

by Kimberly Adams Jul 1, 2020
The investment bank wants boards to include more people from chronically underrepresented groups.
COVID-19

Secondhand clothing sales are growing during the pandemic

by Marielle Segarra Jul 1, 2020
We took a tour of the distribution center for thredUP, the world's largest resale website.
COVID-19

Will British enterprise be a casualty of COVID-19?

by Stephen Beard Jul 1, 2020
Some fear that Britain’s massive state intervention to combat the economic effects of the pandemic could stifle the country’s entrepreneurial spirit.

Music from the episode

1977 Ana Tijoux
Brokenfolks Georgia Anne Muldrow
Philodendron Fields Monster Rally
Black Sands Bonobo
Realize Matilde Davoli

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