As businesses are forced to close or limit their operations to stop the spread of the coronavirus, unemployment has reached record levels across the country.

In a report by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released Thursday morning, Muskingum County has 4,721 unemployment claims filed as of Saturday, April 4.

Based upon data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, countywide unemployment in Muskingum County is likely to outpace levels faced during the Great Recession.

The State of Ohio has established a job board for businesses across the state to post openings needed to continue providing essential products and services.

Lt. Governor Jon Husted said Wednesday that there are 33,641 jobs posted on the state coronavirus website, stating that the jobs were “not just essential, but critical.”

With the passage of the CARES Act, those who are unemployed will receive $600 a week for up to four months on top of any state assistance they might collect. This has led to a situation where many who make less than $23 an hour would have an incentive financially to stay unemployed.

The CARES Act also extends unemployment to independent contractors, those who are self-employed, and gig workers who use smartphone apps to deliver or transport people and services.

The program won’t be operational in Ohio until mid-May for those workers, according to Husted, but payments will be backdated to the time of unemployment.