SALT LAKE CITY. Utah, July 30, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — New Utah unemployment claims for the week of July 19 to July 25 numbered 6,057, according to a weekly report from the Department of Workforce Services.
That’s a decrease of 17.1% over the previous week, the report says. It’s still 230% of the weekly average for 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the week of July 19 to July 25, a total of $71,751,213 of benefits paid. There were 83,716 continued claims filed during that same week.
The number of individuals who have not requested a benefit for two consecutive weeks as of July 18, 2020 was 5,292, the report says. A total of 4,959 met the same criteria during the previous week.
“This week we saw over 1,000 fewer new claims and continued claims have decreased for twelve consecutive weeks,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
“With continued economic progress over the last five months, and the ending of the $600 weekly stimulus payment, we will soon be ending the self-attested job attachments implemented during the pandemic. This will encourage claimants to actively look for work to receive their benefits each week.”
The job attachment status for active claimants will end effective August 15, 2020. This does not result in ineligibility, however to remain on the benefit all claimants will be required to register for work as well as make and report at least four job contacts each week they are requesting the unemployment benefit.
Anyone whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19 is encouraged to visit jobs.utah.gov/covid19 for updated information, including help for employees and employers returning to work.
