The Nebraska Department of Labor reports Thursday that continued unemployment claims declined last week compared to the prior week, but new claims increased. There were 53,673 continued weeks of regular unemployment claimed last week, a decrease of 4.5 percent from the prior week, when 56,219 claims were filed. There were 29,496 continued weeks of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimed last week, compared to 29,522 the prior week.
Continued weeks refer to the individual weeks of unemployment claimed after a person applies for benefits. Weekly certifications are required in order to claim continued weeks of unemployment and receive payment.
Last week, 6,113 new regular unemployment claims were filed, an increase of 33.5 percent over the prior week. There were 1,462 new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims filed last week compared to 1,488 the prior week, a decrease of 1.74 percent.
“Other Midwestern states also saw an increase in new claims,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. “We continue to analyze the claim numbers and track the progression of all claims to see what trends emerge.”
Sixteen out of the 20 industry sectors had an increase in new claims. The top three claiming sectors last week were accommodation and food services at 563, manufacturing at 558, and health care-social assistance at 457. The top three occupations claiming last week were cashiers, production workers, and childcare workers.
NDOL paid a total of $57.2 million in benefits last week, including regular, PUA, $600 CARES Act payments, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PUEC), which provides an additional 13 weeks of benefits to individuals who have exhausted their regular benefits. Regular and PUA benefits paid each week can be found here. The $600 Cares Act payments will end on July 25.