Jobless claims spike to 3.28 million as coronavirus impact spreads

Jobless claims soared to 3.28 million in the past week, the Labor Department said Thursday, as the coronavirus outbreak affected wide portions of the economy.

The figure was more than four times higher than the previous weekly record of 695,000, set in October 1982. During the previous week in March, 281,000 people had filed unemployment claims.

Most economists had forecast about 1.5 million people filing for unemployment benefits.

The true number of out-of-work Americans is likely much higher; self-employed people and gig workers don’t file for unemployment benefits.

The Senate...