by Laura Conaway

U.S. unemployment spiked again in March, reaching 8.5 percent. Our good friends over at NPR.org have put together a slew of charts to help us all get it. And while we're at it, I recommend their Portraits of the Unemployed, too.

[Graph]

Monthly Change In Payrolls

Change in payroll employment, in thousandsSource: Bureau of Economic Analysis
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Unemployment Rate

Percent of U.S. workers age 16 and older

Mass Layoffs

Number of mass layoff events affecting at least 50 employees