April sets new record of unemployment in Haines

In April, Haines Borough unemployment rose to 27.3%, an all-time high for the Chilkat Valley.

Haines’ seasonal economy typically means unemployment is at its highest January through March before steadily dropping to a low in the summer months.

This year didn’t follow that pattern. According to Alaska Department of Labor statistics, the 2020 April unemployment rate is the highest recorded in Haines in any month for the past 30 years. Last April, unemployment was 8.6%.