Unemployment claims soar for second straight week in Whatcom, Washington state

With more businesses adhering to the coronavirus restrictions, unemployment claims continue to soar across Whatcom County and Washington state.

In Whatcom County, 6,268 people filed unemployment claims for the week ending March 28, according to new data from the Washington State Employment Security Department. In the past two weeks, 10,696 Whatcom residents have now filed initial claims after losing their jobs, which is about 10% of the total workforce.