Czech unemployment rate hit two-year high of 3.6 percent in May

The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic rose to 3.6 percent in May, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous month, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Jana Maláčová announced on Friday. At the end of last month, 266,144 people out of work, a rise of 12,104 from April.

Maláčová said thanks to state aid, employers laid off or furloughed far fewer workers than anticipated, given temporary closings of businesses due to emergency measures to combat the spread of coronavirus.

She said the majority of people who recently started looking for work had been employed mainly in the services, catering, tourism, hotel and transport sectors. Although the Czech unemployment rate is at a two-year high, it remains among the lowest in the European Union.

Author: Brian Kenety