Fri, 01/08/2021 - 1:27pm tim
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims last week increased to their second-highest level since the early weeks of the pandemic after three weeks of declining numbers. The holiday season typically results in several swings in the data. Claims increased by 703 to 1,800 last week (and up 1,120 from the same time last year, which was before the pandemic hit).
As for the week s ongoing jobless claims, for the week ending January 2, 2021, the Labor Department processed 13,994 claims, up 2,809 from the previous week and 7,879 more than the same time last year.
As for further comparison, initial Vermont claims for the week of March 21, 2020 (the first full week of the pandemic in Vermont), were 3,784, up 3,125 from the week of March 14.
Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Jan 7, 2021 9:53 AM
During the week of Dec. 27 through Jan. 2, a total of 542 initial weekly claims for state unemployment benefits were processed by the Department of Labor and Regulation. This is a decrease of 113 claims from the prior week’s total of 655.
A total of $1.0 million was paid out in state benefits, in addition to $150,000 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), $220,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and $175,000 in Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) benefits.
South Dakota began paying the additional $300 weekly FPUC benefit effective week ending Jan. 2. This is a new, extended provision under the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020.
Unemployment benefits stay at 20 weeks following Whitmer veto
and last updated 2021-01-05 22:43:54-05
LANSING, Mich. â If youâre new to filing for unemployment benefits in Michigan, you will only be allowed to claim for 20 weeks this year instead of 26.
But one lawmaker tells FOX 17 that decision is hurting the unemployed and businesses Whitmer shut down during the pandemic.
âWell it certainly is my hope that we stand up for the hardworking Michiganders and see that extension of 26 weeks,â said State Representative Mark Huizenga.
He thinks Governor Whitmer needs to be accountable for her recent veto that prevented an extra six weeks of unemployment benefits.
By Brooke Thomson
Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) has worked tirelessly with elected officials on both the state and federal levels to moderate a potentially disastrous 60% increase in unemployment insurance rates next year and to keep the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund on sound financial footing.
Last month, Gov. Charlie Baker took a major step toward addressing that issue by filing timely legislation to ensure a two-year schedule freeze and provide the ability to bond the remaining trust-fund deficit and allow it to be rebuilt over time.
Meanwhile, AIM continues to support efforts by the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to persuade Congress to provide additional resources for the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The $900 billion economic stimulus bill recently approved in the U.S. Congress does not provide money for state UI systems, though it does revive the Paycheck Protection Program with $284 billion to cover a second round of PPP grants to