Tennessee is experiencing an unprecedented number of unemployment claims through the Department of Labor & Workforce Development. Since last week, Tennessee has received 39,096 claims and counting compared to 2,702 the week prior, a 1,300% spike in unemployment.

The state is spearheading a public-private partnership with the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, Tennessee Retail Association, and Hospitality TN to create the Tennessee Talent Exchange powered by Jobs4TN.gov.

The goal of the exchange is to quickly match Tennesseans who are out of work due to COVID-19 with companies currently experiencing a surge in business and making immediate hires. The Department of Labor & Workforce Development has modified the state's workforce development website to quickly post job openings and match job seekers with employers. Additional information can be found here.