Amazon, Google Help States as Coronavirus Boosts Unemployment Claims

WASHINGTON—States including Rhode Island, Kansas and New York are turning to tech companies including Amazon Web Services and Google to handle an unprecedented rise in unemployment claims triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since efforts to contain the virus led to widespread business shutdowns in mid-March. State labor departments across the nation have struggled with busy phone lines, website crashes and delays in unemployment payments, with some operating...