Initial unemployment claims still rising

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK)-Initial claims for Idaho unemployment benefits increased by 8% in the past week, or 307 claims over the previous week.

The number of people who requested a benefit payment declined for the fifth consecutive week. 47,779 people filed continued claims, which is down 6% from the previous week. 

13% of the total were filed by health care and social assistance workers and 12% were filed by manufacturing workers, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.

Accommodations and food service accounted for the third largest group with 11% and retail was fourth at nearly 10%.

The largest cross-section of claims, 26%, were filed by people aged 25 to 34.  People aged 35 to 44 accounted for 21% of those filing and young people under age 25 represented 15% of initial claims. 

During the 12 weeks since the COVID-19 state of emergency, laid-off Idaho workers have filed 149,227 initial claims for unemployment benefits.

Idaho paid out $9.1 million in unemployment benefit payments between May 31 to June 6, a 4% decrease from the previous week.   But, that is 8.3 times higher than the same time in 2019.

As of June 6, total benefit payments attributed to COVID-19 layoffs reached $383.1 million.

You can view additional data about Idaho claims here.