The economy is recovering in some states, but others remain at Great Depression-era unemployment levels. Why?

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Employers laid-off employees at the fastest clip in U.S. history at the onset of the pandemic, with the unemployment rate soaring from 3.5% in February to 14.7% in April. But as states reopen, that rate had fallen to 11.1% by June.

While a dropping jobless rate points to an improving economy, it also makes it clear we aren’t seeing the much hoped for V-shaped recovery...