With Daniel Aaronson, Scott Brave, and Michael Fogarty.
Published in Chicago Fed Letter No. 436, May 2020. https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/chicago-fed-letter/2020/436
Abstract: This article looks at the relationships between internet searches for unemployment-related terms, unemployment insurance (UI), and the public health orders issued in the U.S. during the Covid-19 pandemic. We find that Google searches for unemployment-related subjects surged before the record increase in initial UI claims, which in turn peaked before the public health orders were implemented. As of mid-April 2020, these orders covered the vast majority of the U.S. population. Since then, the rates of increase in both search activity and initial UI claims have slowed.
The published article is available as a pdf. (7 pages, 162 KB)