The U.S. Labor Department on Friday announced Texas’ unemployment rate for August fell to 6.8%. That is still far above pre-pandemic levels, underscoring a summer of steady joblessness for many Texans.
COVID-19 Recession in Texas
The coronavirus pandemic has steered the Texas economy into a recession as the state’s unemployment rate remains high and many businesses struggle to survive. Several sources of government and nonprofit aid have either expired or dried up. Economists say the ongoing public health crisis will slow the recovery for individual Texans, business owners and entire industries. For the latest news on this topic, sign up for our weekly economy newsletter and follow energy and economy reporter Mitchell Ferman on Twitter.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Six months into the pandemic, out-of-work Texans are still struggling to navigate unemployment system
As 1.8 million Texans continue to claim unemployment, many complain they still can’t reach the Texas Workforce Commission and are quickly losing trust in Congress to agree to a second stimulus agreement.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Unemployed Texans will no longer receive an extra $300 in weekly payments
The Federal Emergency Management Agency notified state officials Wednesday that the payments for out-of-work Texans have ended, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, which handles unemployment claims.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Millions of Texans could be shielded from evictions under new Trump administration order
A previous federal order, which only protected renters in federally backed housing, expired in July.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texans spent less going out to eat and drink, but more on home improvement as coronavirus cases peaked this summer
The state collected 5.6% less in sales tax revenue last month than in August 2019. The expiration of some federal relief aid could mean more decreases in coming months.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas mayors warn pandemic’s effects on city budgets will linger for years
The temporary closure of businesses and high levels of unemployment due to the pandemic have caused sales tax revenues — which make up a significant portion of cities’ budgets — to plummet.
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Texas Hurricane Season 2020
“In survival mode”: How some evacuees are still dealing with the dual challenge of a hurricane and a recession
Many Southeast Texans were already struggling through a pandemic and its parallel recession. Then came Hurricane Laura and officials’ evacuation orders.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Nearly 600,000 Texans will lose access to a program that prevented electricity shut-offs during the pandemic on Oct. 1
Once the program ends, customers could be on the hook for partial back payments.
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Coronavirus in Texas
In Texas, the lowest-income workers don’t qualify for additional unemployment aid
Nearly 350,000 Texans don’t qualify for the extra payment because they either earned too little from the work they lost or didn’t indicate on paperwork that they lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
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Coronavirus in Texas
As eviction cases resume in parts of Houston, low-income Texans fear losing a place to live
Since Gov. Greg Abbott declared a public health disaster in March, almost one-third of Harris County’s evictions have been filed in the justice of the peace precinct covering the southwestern portion of the county.