Applications for US state unemployment benefits were little changed at elevated levels in the final week of 2020.
While initial claims dropped for a third consecutive week, the figures underscore a labour-market rebound that remains fragile, with Friday’s jobs report forecast to show a sharp slowdown in December hiring.
The recently signed $900 billion pandemic aid package will provide some relief for workers and businesses in the wait for widespread vaccinations.
Applications for US state unemployment benefits were little changed at elevated levels in the final week of 2020, indicating the labour market remains battered with the pandemic dragging on.
Initial jobless claims in regular state programs fell by 3 000 to 787 000 in the week ended January 2, Labour Department data showed on Thursday. On an unadjusted basis, the figure rose by 77 400.
The Maine Department of Labor blames seasonal layoffs for the increase in claims.
Credit: Getty Published: 12:33 PM EST January 7, 2021 Updated: 12:33 PM EST January 7, 2021
AUGUSTA, Maine The Maine Department of Labor reports there were about 3,900 initial claims for unemployment and 250 initial claims filed for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) for the week ending January 2, 2021
This is an increase of about 258 applicants from the previous week.
According to the MDOL, Maine typically sees increases in state unemployment claims this time of year due to seasonal layoffs that occur every winter, such as in accommodations, eating and drinking places, construction, landscaping, and temporary help. Some of these industries have seen increased impact due to COVID-19.
Colorado Prepares to Launch New Unemployment System
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment shut down its unemployment benefits systems as it began moving more than 1.5 million claims over to a newer, modernized platform set to launch this weekend. by Joe Rubino, The Denver Post / January 7, 2020 Colorado State Capitol / Credit: Colorado State Government
(TNS) It s a pivotal week for the
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who are relying on unemployment benefits to get by during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday afternoon, the state shut down its unemployment benefits systems as it began moving more than 1.5 million claims over to a newer, modernized platform set to launch this weekend.
Weekly unemployment claims jumped 44% last week in N C journalnow.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from journalnow.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Jobless Claims Stalled at 787,000
7 Jan 2021
New weekly jobless claims came in at 787,000 in the week that ended January 2, the Department of Labor said Wednesday.
That exactly matched the initial report for the prior week. Economists had expected a rise to 815,000, according to Marketwatch. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 790,000.
Jobless claims can be volatile week to week so many economists prefer to look at the four-week average. This rose to 818,750, a decrease of 18,750 from the previous week’s upwardly revised level.
Jobless claims which are a proxy for layoffs remain at extremely high levels. Prior to the pandemic, the highest level of claims was 695,000 hit in October of 1982. In March of 2009, at the depths of the financial crisis recession, jobless claims peaked at 665,000.