As Nation Sees Fewest New Jobless Claims In A Year, Utah Numbers Tick Up

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – New jobless claims ticked up over the past week in Utah, even as the nationwide numbers fell to the lowest they’ve been since the pandemic started.

However, the state saw a decrease of nearly 1,000 in continued claims.

Last week, 3,403 workers filed for first-time unemployment benefits in the Beehive State. That’s up from the 3,143 who filed during the week ending March 13.

A total of 29,975 residents filed for at least two consecutive claims last week, down from the previous week when that number was 30,906.

“The federal unemployment stimulus benefits made available through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 have all been successfully implemented in the state of Utah,” said Kevin Burt, director of the Unemployment Insurance Division for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “While these benefits are critical to those who find themselves unemployed through no fault of their own, active job search will continue to be a requirement to receive them and Utah’s strong economy offers many employment opportunities.”

Jobless claims across the U.S. fell from 781,000 from the week ending March 13 to 684,000 last week. While that number is still high, it is an indication that the overall economy is improving.

Nationally, 18.9 million people filed for continued benefits, and about one-third of those recipients are in extended federal aid programs, the Associated Press reports, meaning those Americans have been unemployed for at least six months.

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.