Maryland lost 20,900 jobs during March as businesses shuttered and laid off employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor offers a glimpse into damage being done to the state’s economy by the novel coronavirus. Gov. Larry Hogan and other political leaders across the country issued a series of executive orders last month to try to slow the spread of the virus, culminating in a closure of all non-essential businesses.
While nearly 22 million people across the U.S. have filed unemployment claims during the past four weeks, including more than a quarter-million Marylanders, the state’s unemployment rate remained stable.
Nationally, the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%, its highest mark since 2017. Maryland’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.3%.