LAS VEGAS — Nearly 245,000 people have filed for unemployment in Nevada since casinos and other businesses closed in mid-March to keep people from congregating and spreading the new coronavirus, according to U.S. Department of Labor figures posted Thursday.
The tally last week in the state was almost 80,000 new jobless filings.
Gov. Steve Sisolak and Nevada labor officials have acknowledged the state jobless office was overwhelmed by the record 93,000 claims filed the week after the governor ordered businesses closed. Another 71,400 Nevadans filed for unemployment the following week.
The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation now says it has more than doubled staff from 75 to 200 employees and expanded hours to try to handle the flood of new benefits applications.
National leaders of UNITE HERE, the parent organization of the powerful Culinary Union, plan to talk Thursday about the effect the COVID-19 crisis is having on the casino industry.
The Culinary Union has some 60,000 casino worker members in Nevada.
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