Utah’s new unemployment claims decline 13% from previous week, still stand at 382% of average week in 2019

Department of Workforce Services. Photo: Google Streets

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 28, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah’s unemployment numbers for the week of May 17 to 23 show that new claims are down 13 percent from the week before.

There were 97,570 weekly claims filed during that week. A total of $26,427,924 was paid in traditional unemployment benefits. An additional $48,804,420 of the $600 weekly stimulus was paid out to claimants, as well as $760,779 in federally funded extended benefit payments, for a total of $75,993,123 in unemployment benefits for the week.

A total of 2,278 new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims were submitted.

Traditional Unemployment Insurance Claims

May 17-23

Total New Claims

% Change

(+/-)

Total Weekly Claims

% Change

(+/-)

State Benefits

Paid

% Change

(+/-)

$600 Stimulus Paid

05/17/20 to 05/23/20

5,455

97,570

$26,427,924

$48,804,420

Combined Benefits

$75,993,123

Week over Week

6,275

-13%

101,389

-3.8%

$26,858,365

-1.711%

$48,667,041

Average Weekly 2019

1,131

382%

8,856

1011.7%

$2,876,354

819%

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Claims

May 17-23

Total Combined Claims

March 15 to May 23, 2020

Total New Claims

% Change

(+/-)

Total Benefits Paid

% Change

(+/-)

Total Claims

Total Benefits Paid

05/17/20 to 05/23/20

2,278

$8,114,773

Traditional

167,367

$458,751,943

Week over Week

2,604

12.5%

$5,688,924

42.6%

PUA

26,646

$19,155,356

 

The number of individuals who ended their unemployment insurance claim on May 16, 2020 was 9,772. A total of 6,583 ended their claim during the previous week. As the state continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, this number will help demonstrate the number of individuals no longer accessing unemployment benefits.

“We have now received the same amount of claims in the last 10 weeks that were filed over the previous three years, while successfully standing up all the federal stimulus benefits made available by the CARES Act,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, in a prepared statement.

“I can’t say enough about the staff and how hard they have worked to provide this critical benefit to those who desperately needed it.”

The three industries that saw the highest percentage of claims this week, as self-identified by the claimant at the time of their filing, were:

  • Office and administrative support (15%)
  • Sales and related occupations (9%)
  • Management occupations (8.7%)

The five counties in Utah that had the highest number of individuals file new unemployment insurance claims were:

  • Salt Lake (40%)
  • Utah (15%)
  • Davis (8.4%)
  • Weber (7.7%)
  • Washington (3.5%)

People whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19 can visit jobs.utah.gov/covid19 for updated information including help for employees and employers returning to work.

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