SALT LAKE CITY (August 27, 2020) — The Utah Department of Workforce Services has reported a slight decline in new unemployment claims for the week of Aug. 16 to 22.
The number of total new claims filed for that week was 5,628, with a total of $22,919,481 of benefits paid. There were 60,773 continued claims filed during that same week.
“For two consecutive weeks we have seen more than 7,000 people stop requesting the unemployment benefit; a positive sign that many have reconnected into the workforce,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, in a prepared statement.
“However, we also continue to see over 5,000 new claims a week, indicating that COVID-19 continues to be disruptive and the need for this critical benefit remains.”
The state continues to pursue the short term stimulus payment available through Lost Wages Assistance. Lost Wages Assistance is only immediately available for three weeks from July 26, 2020, through August 15, 2020.
People are eligible if their weekly unemployment benefit amount was at least $100, they were eligible for one of the standard unemployment programs and they were unemployed or partially unemployed as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Benefits will be automatically calculated and distributed mid-September based on unemployment claims received; people do not need to call or apply separately for this benefit.
The number of people who have not requested a benefit for two consecutive weeks as of Aug. 15, 2020 was 7,537. A total of 7,412 met the same criteria during the previous week.
People whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19 are encouraged to visit jobs.utah.gov/covid19 for updated information including help for employees and employers returning to work.
