Layoffs and pay cuts are now striking more white collar jobs

WASHINGTON (AP) — First, it was bars, restaurants, hotels.

And clothing stores, movie theaters, entertainment venues.

And all manner of small businesses, from bookstores to barber shops.

Now, the record-setting flood of layoffs unleashed by the viral outbreak is extending beyond the services industries that bore the initial brunt — and that are still suffering most.

White collar occupations, ranging from software programmers and legal assistants to sales associates and certain health care workers, are absorbing layoffs or salary cuts.

So are workers in other occupations, like construction and real estate.

The mounting toll of job losses resulted last week in 5.2 million new applications for unemployment benefits.