DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa's unemployment numbers for March are showing the effects of COVID-19 coronavirus business closings and layoffs.
Iowa Workforce Development says last month's jobless rate jumped to 3.7 percent--up nearly a full percent from February's 2.8 percent.
Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend says March's numbers only reflect the very beginning of the coronavirus-related unemployment claims that started coming in the middle of the month.
Townsend says she expects April's jobless numbers to be higher.
The national unemployment rate for March is 4.4 percent.