900,000 filed for jobless claims last week, a historically high level as Biden inherits worst job market of any modern president

Weekly unemployment claims remain near 1 million, far above previous recessions, because of the surging pandemic. A rise in claims early this year also reflects an uptick in filings delayed over the December holidays, as well as the new $300 in supplemental weekly jobless benefits drawing some of those out of work who had given up filing claims.