Unemployment claims in Washington, D.C., surged 36% to 1,780 for the week ending Feb. 8, marking a significant rise since the beginning of the year. Nearly 4,000 workers in the city have filed for unemployment since President Donald Trump took office. The increase coincides with federal layoffs ordered by Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency advisory board.
In total, about 7,000 claims were filed in the first six weeks of the year, a 55% increase from the prior period. While national unemployment claims remain stable, Washington, D.C., with a 5.5% jobless rate as of December 2024, is among the hardest-hit areas.
The layoffs primarily affect federal employees, with 75,000 reportedly accepting buyouts. Economist Allison Shrivastava noted that job prospects depend on the affected workers’ sectors, with some fields like accounting remaining strong.
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