New Unemployment Claims In Utah Increase To 4,617

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – For the second week in a row, the number of Utahns filing for new unemployment benefits increased.

There were 4,617 no jobless claims for the week ending Nov. 13, according to the latest report from the Utah Department of Workforce Service.

The number of new claims is up from the previous week’s 4,060 claims.

There were 28,168 continued claims filed last week, which is down from the week before when 29,365 Utahns filed for continued benefits.

“A high demand for the unemployment benefit persists as new claims have increased for two consecutive weeks; it is critical to note that we were and are expecting a seasonal increase in claims during the winter months,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “In more promising data, we have seen a decrease in continued or ongoing claims for 28 consecutive weeks as Utah’s economy continues to gradually recover during this difficult pandemic.”

Numbers rose nationally, as well, as 740,000 Americans filed new claims, a jump from the previous week’s report of 711,000.

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.