New Unemployment Claims In Utah Decrease Slightly Week Over Week

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Department of Workforce services has reported 4,850 residents filed new claims for unemployment benefits for the week ending July 4.

That number is down slightly from the week before, when 5,006 claims were filed.

An additional 1,502 Utahns also filed new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims, also down from the week ending June 27, when 1,680 workers applied.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program provides benefits to workers who wouldn’t normally qualify for unemployment insurance.

The state reported that 5,184 residents who had previously been collecting unemployment benefits have stopped requesting aid for two consecutive weeks, indicating they have returned to work.

“The amount of unemployment claims during this pandemic has certainly been historic, as has the amount of benefits paid,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “Moving forward, ongoing financial stability will only be found in employment, as the unemployment insurance $600 weekly stimulus is set to expire on July 25, 2020 for all unemployment programs.”

Nationwide, 1.3 million Americans filed new unemployment claims. That number has been steadily decreasing for more than three months. Continued claims across the country, which count those who have filed jobless claims for two weeks in a row or more, is currently at 18.1 million.

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.