Unemployment Rate in Dubuque County Skyrockets

A local economic development organization estimates that Dubuque County’s unemployment rate has shot up to nearly 21%, as businesses are hammered by impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new estimate of 20.8% was announced by the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation based on unemployment claims filed with the state. The county’s rate stood at just 3.4% in February, and at 4.1% as of March 14^th. According to the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, nearly 950 Dubuque County workers filed new unemployment claims in the week ending Saturday. Locally, John Deere Dubuque Works has announced layoffs and a coming temporary shutdown, and Flexsteel Industries Inc. announced Wednesday that it would close its Dubuque manufacturing facility, perhaps as soon as June.