The one-week state and national one-week totals spoke to the depth of the economic pain Americans are enduring amid broad shutdown of business and social life in a desperate attempt to the flatten the curve of infections.

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Jobless Floridians filed close to 170,000 unemployment claims last week as the number of Americans seeking assistance amid the coronavirus topped 6 million.

The one-week state and national totals spoke to the depth of the economic pain Americans are enduring amid broad shutdown of business and social life in a desperate attempt to the flatten the curve of infections.

>>Unemployment forms available at Palm Beach County libraries

Since March 25, nearly 17 million people in America have filed for unemployment benefits, suggesting that as many as 1 in 10 Americans have been lost their incomes due to the coronavirus shutdown.

In Florida, benefits last for only 12 weeks. Under the $2.1 trillion stimulus package approved last week, jobless workers will get an additional $600 each week through July.

"In just three weeks, COVID-19 has triggered a jobs crisis that is truly unthinkable in its scale and scope, stretching from coast-to-coast and impacting service jobs that once seemed immune to economic ups and downs," said Andrew Stettner, senior fellow at The Century Foundation.

The stunning, skyrocketing number of claims has prompted economists to predict the U.S. unemployment rate could reach 15 percent with as many 20 million people without jobs. In February, national unemployment rate stood 3.5% on a string of 113 consecutive months of job gains.

Every so often, glimmers of hope appear. On Thursday, for example, the U.S. Postal Service said it was looking to hire in South Florida. The job opportunities, the postal service said, include multiple positions with hourly wages ranging from $16.21 to $17.95.

Those interested in applying weer directed to the postal service’s website, usps.com/employment, through Saturday. From the website, applicants are asked to select "’Search Jobs,’ then ’Florida,’ then ’Start,’ and then select the link for Clerk Assistant, Mail Handler Assistant, Mail Processing Assistant and/or Temporary Carrier Assistant."

But the opportunities to seek employment are far out numbered by job losses.

The country’s gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the goods and services produced, could fall this quarter at an annual rate of as much as 35% from the preceding three months.

The crisis in household income has been aggravated by significant delays and frustration with the process to apply for unemployment benefits.

For some, like Anamaria Llerena, the exasperation is two-fold. The coronavirus shutdown the Delray Beach resident’s oncology massage therapist business more than a month ago.

Llerena said 95% of her clients were older Americans, and they started canceling their appointments starting near the of February. By March 13, her income fell to zero.

When she sought a small business loan, she was told she is ineligible because she is self-employed.

"So for somebody like me who files as an independent there is zero help," Llerena said. "I just cant believe, that for those who have, own a ’small business’ there is money so they can pay their bills, mortgage, employees ... What about me?"

For others, the delays and obstacles to merely submit paperwork for unemployment benefits has compounded the pain.

>>More money coming as businesses scramble to tap banks for loans

The state’s filing website crashed weeks ago, forcing officials and applicants to turn to paper applications. On Wednesday, the state rolled out another site at floridajobs.org/raapplication.

The frustrations with the unemployment benefits site spurred a variety of stop gap measures. The state's Department of Economic Opportunity ramped up efforts to provide paper applications as an alternative.

Palm Beach County libraries began offering paper unemployment applications.

Library officials said the forms are available in English, Spanish and Creole outside of the library entrances, as county branches have been closed to the public since March 20. Librarians are available by phone, email and the Ask-a-Librarian chat service for questions.

Since March 14, 15,575 applications from Palm Beach County residents have been processed by the state, according to CareerSource Palm Beach County.

The library system also has resources on its website at pbclibrary.org/unemployment for those who want to revise their resume, need help looking for a new career or to learn a new skill.

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