During the week of April 26 through 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 $5.0 million was paid out in state benefits, in addition to $11.8 million paid out in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) 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.
“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. Being uncomfortable about returning to work when recalled is not an acceptable circumstance to decline work,” said state Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman. “Employees absolutely have the right not to go to work, but that is a personal choice and may impact their employment status.”