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glegorly/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) — Some 963,000 workers filed jobless claims last week, according to the latest data from the Department of Labor released Thursday.

This is the first time in 21 weeks that weekly jobless claims have dipped below one million. The number of new claims has fallen since peaking at nearly 6.9 million in the last week of March, but the streak of pandemic-induced layoffs remains unprecedented.

Some economists worry that the furloughs and temporary layoffs could turn into permanent job losses.

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