Press Release
September 3, 2020
Utah’s Unemployment Insurance Claims Report (August 23-29)
SALT LAKE CITY (September 3, 2020) — The number of total new claims filed for unemployment benefits in Utah was 4,591 for the week of August 23 to August 29, 2020 with a total of $18,253,837 of benefits paid. There were 52,782 continued claims filed during that same week.
|
Traditional Unemployment Insurance Claims - August 23-29 |
|||||||
|
New Claims |
% Change |
Continued Claims |
% Change |
Benefits Paid |
% Change |
$600 Stimulus |
|
|
08/23 to 08/29 |
2,603 |
46,720 |
$11,729,289 |
Federal Funding Expired July 25, 2020 |
|||
|
Week Prior (08/16 to 08/22) |
2,999 |
-13% |
54,230 |
-14% |
$15,609,340 |
25% |
|
|
2019 Weekly Average |
1,131 |
130% |
8,856 |
427.11% |
$2,876,354 |
307.11% |
|
|
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Claims - August 23-29 |
|||||||
|
New Claims |
% Change |
Continued Claims |
% Change |
Benefits Paid |
% Change |
$600 Stimulus |
|
|
08/23 to 08/29 |
747 |
6,062 |
$1,496,939 |
Federal Funding Expired July 25, 2020 |
|||
|
Week Prior (08/16 to 08/22) |
957 |
-22% |
6,543 |
-8% |
$1,660,398 |
-10% |
|
|
Extended Unemployment Benefits August 23-29 |
Total New Claims and Benefits Paid March 15 to August 29, 2020 |
||||||
|
New Claims |
% Change |
Benefits Paid |
Traditional (State) |
PUA (Federal) |
Extended (Federal) |
$600 Stimulus (Federal) |
|
|
08/23 to 08/29 |
1,241 |
$2,893,046 |
230,128 |
44,717 |
15,499 |
||
|
Week Prior (08/16 to 08/22) |
1,672 |
-26% |
$2,836,570 |
$469,960,550 |
$52,383,003 |
$25,920,057 |
$842,362,205 |
The number of individuals who have not requested a benefit for two consecutive weeks as of August 22, 2020 was 7,190. A total of 7,537 met the same criteria during the previous week.
“The unemployment insurance program has been a critical benefit to those that have and continue to see their employment disrupted during this pandemic, and to date it has helped tens of thousands of Utahns,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “However, it is critical to remember that the benefit is time limited, emphasizing the need for all those receiving it to actively look for work, including those who are considered furloughed. There are opportunities, as evidenced by the more than 30,000 job postings at jobs.utah.gov.”
The state continues to pursue the short term stimulus payment available through Lost Wages Assistance. Lost Wages Assistance is only immediately available for three weeks from July 26, 2020, through August 15, 2020. Individuals are eligible if their weekly unemployment benefit amount was at least $100, they were eligible for one of the standard unemployment programs and they were unemployed or partially unemployed as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Benefits will be automatically calculated and distributed mid-September based on unemployment claims already received; individuals do not need to call or apply separately for this benefit.
New Claims (Weekly)
Continued Claims (Weekly)
If an individual's employment has been impacted by COVID-19, they should visit jobs.utah.gov/covid19 for updated information including help for employees and employers returning to work.
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