DOL estimates 68,000 job losses from Katrina

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today announced that new claims for jobless benefits increased by 71,000 last week, the largest increase in almost 10 years. The DOL attributed 68,000 of these claims to Katrina. However, the number may rise as evacuee claims are processed. Total filings in the week ended Sept. 10 are 398,000.

A DOL analyst said, "Due to the unprecedented volume of claims filed in the affected areas and due to the unconventional methods used in filing, the numbers that are reported do not truly reflect the number of claims filed."