Full-time employees - unadjusted monthly number in the U.S. January 2021
As of February 2021, there were 123.98 million full-time employees in the United States. This is a significant decrease from February 2020, when there were 129.73 million full-time employees.
In December 2019, an infectious disease classified as COVID-19 first started in Wuhan, China. Since being classified as a pandemic, it has caused a global health crisis that has taken the lives of over 2.6 million people worldwide so far. The COVID-19 pandemic has consequently changed every facet of society, most significantly, the economy. As a result of many businesses across all industries being forced to shut down, many employees have been laid off. Unfortunately, the nationwide unemployment rate went from 4.4 percent in March 2020 to 14.7 percent the following month, the highest since World War II. As of February 2021, this has lowered to 6.2 percent.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the large number of jobs lost, many residents in the United States have filed for unemployment. The United States government has issued relief checks worth 1,200 U.S. dollars to American adults who make less than 100,000 U.S. dollars in order to help alleviate any financial burdens caused by the virus. Additionally, the amount of money allocated weekly to those filing for unemployment benefits has also increased by 600 U.S. dollars a week through the end of July 2020. In December 2020, a second round of financial relief worth 600 U.S. dollars to American adults who make less than 100,000 U.S. dollars was distributed, despite President Trump calling for the amount to be increased to 2,000 U.S. dollars.
The impact COVID-19 on employment
In December 2019, an infectious disease classified as COVID-19 first started in Wuhan, China. Since being classified as a pandemic, it has caused a global health crisis that has taken the lives of over 2.6 million people worldwide so far. The COVID-19 pandemic has consequently changed every facet of society, most significantly, the economy. As a result of many businesses across all industries being forced to shut down, many employees have been laid off. Unfortunately, the nationwide unemployment rate went from 4.4 percent in March 2020 to 14.7 percent the following month, the highest since World War II. As of February 2021, this has lowered to 6.2 percent.
Unemployment benefits
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the large number of jobs lost, many residents in the United States have filed for unemployment. The United States government has issued relief checks worth 1,200 U.S. dollars to American adults who make less than 100,000 U.S. dollars in order to help alleviate any financial burdens caused by the virus. Additionally, the amount of money allocated weekly to those filing for unemployment benefits has also increased by 600 U.S. dollars a week through the end of July 2020. In December 2020, a second round of financial relief worth 600 U.S. dollars to American adults who make less than 100,000 U.S. dollars was distributed, despite President Trump calling for the amount to be increased to 2,000 U.S. dollars.
