COVID-19 unemployment benefits top $520 million

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK)-New claims for Idaho unemployment insurance benefits totaled 4,285 for the week ending June 20.  That is an increase of 18%, or 654 claims, from the previous week.

As of June 20, total benefit payments attributed to COVID-19 layoffs reached $522 million.

According to its weekly report, the Idaho Department of Labor, the overall number of people requesting a benefit payment dropped by 10% to 33,060. 

The impacts of unemployment appear to be moving a bit.  17% of those filing were in manufacturing-related employment.  Accommodations and food services were the second largest group at 13%, followed by health care and social assistance at 12% and retail trades at 10%.  Those four sectors accounted for more than half of new claims filed during the week.

Most of the laid-off workers, 26%, were people aged 25-34 and young people under 25 accounted for 25% of the total.

The department paid out $52.8 million in claims during the week of June 14-20, down from $86 million the week before.  Of that, regular state unemployment benefit payments were $10.4 million.

Pandemic Extended Unemployment payments were $1.2 million, with payouts for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance at $4.3 million, and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation at $36.9 million.