Unemployment initial weekly claims decrease

The state Department of Labor and Regulation saw a decrease in the number of unemployment benefits claims processed last week. 

During the week of April 26th through May 2nd, 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 close to 18-hundred claims from the prior week’s total.  

A total of five million dollars was paid out in state benefits, in addition to close to twelve-million dollars paid out in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits. 

State Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman reminds those who are recalled after being laid off due to COVID-19 that if they refuse to return to work, they will no longer be eligible for unemployment benefits.  She said that being uncomfortable about returning to work when recalled is not an acceptable circumstance to decline work.