Last week (April 26-May 2), a total of 3,756 initial weekly claims for unemployment benefits were processed by the Department of Labor and Regulation. This is a decrease of 1,779 claims over the prior week’s total of (5,535).
A total of $5 million was paid out in state benefits, in addition to $11.8 million paid out in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits. The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund balance May 3 was $105.5 million.
The latest number of continued claims is 22,707 for the week ending April 18. This indicates the number of unemployed workers eligible for and receiving benefits after their initial claim.
State Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman says claimants who are recalled after being laid off due to COVID-19 and refuse to return to work will no longer be eligible for unemployment benefits. Unemployment eligibility guidelines say being uncomfortable about returning to work when recalled is not an acceptable reason to decline work. Hultman says employees have the right not to go to work, but it’s a personal choice and may impact their employment status.
