New Nebraska, Iowa Jobless Claims Drop Again After Records Surge
Lincoln – Nebraska saw another dip in new unemployment claims last week after a record-setting surge driven by the coronavirus pandemic, according to new data released Thursday.
The state received 5,923 claims during the week that ended May 16, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Nebraska reported 6,362 new claims the prior week.
The number has declined since a record-setting surge that peaked at 26,788 in one week in early April. It’s still much higher than average.
Unemployment soared in Nebraska and nationally due to state-mandated social distancing restrictions on businesses as well as Americans who are staying sheltered at home to avoid spreading the coronavirus. Some businesses closed while others have had scale back their operations and lay off employees.
In Iowa, fewer people filed for unemployment last week compared to the week prior, but the state’s rate remained historically elevated as the country deals with the economic fallout of coronavirus pandemic.
Federal data showed 13,040 new claims filed between May 10 and May 16. That was a drop from the previous week, when 16,735 filed unemployment claims.
More than 187,000 people have filed for unemployment since the outbreak began, officials said, and nearly $51 million in unemployment insurance benefits has been paid out.
Nationally, more than 2.4 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, according to the Labor Department. About 38.6 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the weeks since the coronavirus first forced millions of businesses to close their doors and shrink their workforces.
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