NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. unemployment is swelling to levels last seen during the Great Depression, with 1 in 6 American workers thrown out of work by the coronavirus. The government says more than 4.4 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week. With jobless lines growing, the House passed a nearly $500 billion infusion of coronavirus spending to aid ailing businesses and hospitals. In all, about 26 million people have now filed for unemployment aid in the past five weeks. That’s more than live in the 10 biggest U.S. cities combined. President Donald Trump said the bill will help small businesses keep millions of workers on the payroll.
