More Than 50,000 Oklahomans Applied For Unemployment In Last Week

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to take its toll on the Oklahoma workforce. 

New figures released by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission on Thursday showed an additional 51,124 Oklahomans applied for unemployment during the week ending on April 4.

The non-adjusted 51,124 figure sets another Oklahoma record for unemployment filings in a week. The previous record was set the week before when an adjusted total of 47,744 Oklahomans sought jobless aid statewide. 

In total, 6.6 more Americans applied for unemployment last week. 16.6 million workers nationwide signed up for unemployment in the last three weeks combined. 

The Associated Press estimated that the 16.6 million figure accounts for "roughly one in 10 workers" who have lost their jobs in the last three weeks.