Unemployment soars under coronavirus

The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the economy, causing the unemployment numbers to reach 18%. What will this mean in the long run for the workforce?

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Noelia Ramírez and her daughter Carmen Arroyo, a factory worker, picked up boxes of free food during the coronavirus shutdowns that have students out of schools and workers unemployed. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

Noelia Ramírez and her daughter Carmen Arroyo, a factory worker, picked up boxes of free food during the coronavirus shutdowns that have students out of schools and workers unemployed. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

Guests: Jim Saksa, Carl Van Horn, Mohona Siddique

The coronavirus shut down has wreaked havoc on the US economy, causing the unemployment numbers to soar to 18%. With so many people out of work, what will this mean in the long run when it comes to the workforce locally and nationally? What measures can governments take to assuage the crisis for workers, and what will an economic recovery look like following the fallout of social distancing measures? Joining us with their thoughts are CARL VAN HORN professor of public policy at Rutgers University, and MOHONA SIDDIQUE, Project Manager at the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. But first, we’ll get the latest on the federal government’s efforts to distribute aid to small businesses with JIM SAKSA, financial services reporter for CQ Roll Call.

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