Utah Sees Slight Increase In New Jobless Claims

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Department of Workforce Services on Thursday announced 5,452 residents filed for new jobless benefits for the week ending June 6.

That total is up by 456 claims from the week before, when 4,996 Utahns applied new unemployment claims.

However, there has been an overall downward trend in new unemployment benefit filings for multiple weeks prior.

Officials said the number of people who have stopped requesting assistance is rising, which is good indicator that Utahns are going back to work.

“We have again seen a persistently high number of new and continued claims for unemployment benefits, however, we are also glad to see thousands stop requesting the benefit every week,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “While the unemployment benefit has provided stability for many Utahns, it is an important reminder that it is also very temporary. We will continue to work towards getting claimants back to work and connected to the stability of employment.”

Nationwide, nearly 1.5 million more Americans filed for new unemployment benefits last week. While the number is historically high, it’s also the 10th week in a row that new applications have declined since mid-March.

The Labor Department reported 2.5 million jobs had been added to the economy in May, with a national unemployment rate now at 13.3%

If an individual’s employment has been impacted by COVID-19 they should visit jobs.utah.gov/covid19 for updated information including help for employees and employers returning to work.