Around New England

Massachusetts Has Highest Unemployment Rate in the Country — Again

August 22, 2020

At 16.1 percent, Massachusetts had the highest unemployment in the nation in July 2020.

It was the second month in a row Massachusetts led the pack, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rate dropped an estimated 1.6 percent from June’s, which a revised estimate now puts at 17.7 percent.

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, a tax and spending watchdog on Beacon Hill, tied the high unemployment to the continuing shutdowns and restrictions on industry because of the coronavirus emergency.

“Massachusetts continues to lead the rest of the country in the percentage of people out of work. It’s not a statistic to be proud of,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, in a written statement Friday, August 21, the day the federal government issued the new figures.

State officials don’t seem to be focused on the needs of businesses and workers, Craney said, calling for them to shift gears.

Governor Charlie Baker and leaders in the state Legislature “need to do everything they can to reopen the state economy and instill confidence in the private sector,” Craney said.

“Looking forward, our leaders must promise not to raise taxes, increase spending, or enact more harmful regulations if they really wish to see our economy start to recover,” he added.