Idaho weekly unemployment claims increase

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - More than 5,000 Idahoans filed initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits in the week ending June 27.   

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, 5,417 people filed claims, up 26% from the prior week.

The number of people requesting continuing claims dropped by 7% from the previous week.  

Those working in the field of accommodations and food services represented 17% of total claims during the week, followed by manufacturing at 15%, health care and social assistance at 12% and retail at 11%.   

Once again, people aged 25 to 34 represented 26% of the claimants and young people under the age of 25 made up 22% of the total.

Laid-off workers have so far filed 162,560 initial claims for benefits since the state of emergency was declared.  73% of the claims were filed within the first six weeks.

The Department of Labor reports it paid out a total of $44.7 million in claims in the week ending June 27.  That is down from $52.8 million the week before.  $31.4 million was paid by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) fund. K

Altogether, the department has paid total benefits of $567 million in COVID-19 related claims as of June 27.  The FPUC fund paid $387 million and other federal COVID-19 funds accounted for another $38 million.