BestCompaniesAZ is spearheading a partnership with Career Connectors, Arizona @ Work and PipelineAZ to help Arizonans who have been displaced from their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis find work.

New unemployment claims rose to almost 3.3 million last week, an increase of 3 million over the previous week and the highest on record, according to numbers released Thursday by the Labor Department.

The national numbers were reflected in Arizona, which reported an eightfold increase in unemployment claims last week. The Arizona Department of Economic Security said it received 29,268 applications, compared to about 3,500 in a typical week.

The driving force is COVID-19, the pandemic that has put parts of the globe on lockdown, canceling events, shuttering businesses and sparking mass layoffs.

But BestCompaniesAZ has stepped in to help the state workforce partners with employer outreach to identify all the companies that are hiring – and BestCompaniesAZ is validating these jobs and confirming that they are hiring today.

“We created a special section on our website that will be a portal to consolidate all the job leads throughout Arizona and a portal of resources for companies laying off and hiring,” said Denise Gredler, CEO of BestCompaniesAZ.

For more information, go here: https://bestcompaniesaz.com/covid-19-resources/

An example of companies hiring right now is. Zovio, which is looking to fill 200 student-facing roles. As an education technology services company, Zovio partners with higher education institutions and employers to deliver innovative, personalized solutions to help learners and leaders achieve their aspirations.

These positions are located in Chandler, and the company is currently scheduling interviews.

Zovio offers a wide array of traditional and nontraditional benefits, including the following:

• 401(k) match and an employee stock purchase program

• Full tuition waivers for Ashford University and student debt repayment

• Holidays and other paid time off

• Sick time and vacation cash out

• 16 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer

• Medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage

For more information on all the jobs available in the Valley, go here: https://bestcompaniesaz.com/covid-19-resources/