Federal Workers File Most Jobless Claims Since Last Shutdown

US federal workers filed the most applications for unemployment benefits since the last government shutdown, according to the latest Labor Department data.

There were 7,224 initial claims filed nationwide in the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees program for the week ended Oct. 11, according to data posted on the department’s website. That’s more than double the previous week and the highest since early 2019, toward the end of the longest shutdown on record.

“As many furloughed workers spend their last partial paycheck, the number of workers turning to unemployment benefits will continue to rise as the shutdown shows no ...