Tag Archives: Benefits

Labor Changes Phone Number for Help with Unemployment Insurance

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 19, 2020
Media Contact: Georgia Smith, Georgia.smith@labor.idaho.gov

The Idaho Department of Labor has installed new phone software to accommodate the increase in unemployment insurance calls the department has received since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting Monday, claimants needing assistance should call (208) 332-8942. The 800 number will no longer be used.

The department has hired and trained approximately 60 additional staff members to help with the increased unemployment insurance workload. Forty-nine employees will be dedicated to the answering the phones and will be available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. MT Monday-Friday. Spanish speaking agents will also be available.

Claimants can find answers to frequently asked questions online and are encouraged to watch how-to videos before filing. Continue reading →

Continued Claims for Unemployment Benefits Increase Slightly

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 19, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans who filed a continued claim for regular state unemployment insurance benefits increased two percent for the week ending Nov. 14 to 8,310, up 167 more than the previous week. The four-week moving average for continued claims increased slightly – from 8,127 for the week ending Nov. 7 to 8,150.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 5,060 for the week ending Nov. 14, up by 52 claims, while the four-week moving average increased by 11 percent to 4,462.

An increase in initial claims and continued claims for regular state benefits is normal for November, December and January due to the ongoing seasonality of Idaho’s economy. Claims related to COVID-19 may disrupt or exacerbate this normal seasonal pattern.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Hold Steady

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 13, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans who filed a continued claim for unemployment insurance benefits was unchanged for the week ending Nov. 7 with 8,143, only 19 more than the previous week. The four-week moving average for continued claims decreased slightly – from 8,187 for the week ending Oct. 31 to 8,127.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 5,008 for the week ending Nov. 7, increasing by 1,089 claims, while the four-week moving average was up by 10 percent to 4,021.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Tick Up Slightly

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 5, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans who filed a continued claim for unemployment insurance benefits increased 1 percent for the week ending Oct. 31 to 8,124, ending 25 consecutive weeks of declines. The four-week moving average for continued claims fell by 3 percent – down from 8,442 for the week ending Oct. 24 to 8,187.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 3,919 for the week ending Oct. 31, increasing by 57 claims while the four-week moving average was up by 7 percent to 3,648.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Decrease for 25th Consecutive Week

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Oct. 29, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans who filed a continued claim for unemployment insurance benefits fell for the 25th consecutive week, dropping 2 percent for the week ending Oct. 24 to 8,024. The four-week moving average for continued claims fell by 5 percent – down from 8,910 for the week ending Oct. 17 to 8,442.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 3,862 for the week ending Oct. 24, increasing by 569 claims while the four-week moving average was up by 7 percent to 3,407.

The department paid out $6 million in claims during the week ending Oct. 24, up from $5.8 million for the week ending Oct 17. Regular state benefit payouts were $1.8 million, the same as the previous week, but 2.1 times higher than the same week in 2019. Of the CARES Act programs, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) payments paid out $1.6 million, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) paid out $2.3 million, up from $2.1 million the previous week, and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) paid out $.3 million, up $.1 million.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Decrease for 24th Consecutive Week

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Oct. 22, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans who filed a continued claim for unemployment insurance benefits fell for the 24th consecutive week, dropping 2 percent for the week ending Oct. 17 to 8,215. The four-week moving average for continued claims fell by 7 percent – down from 9,533 for the week ending Oct. 10 to 8,910.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 3,293 for the week ending Oct. 17, decreasing by 226 claims while the four-week moving average fell by just 1 percent to 3,191.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Decrease for 23rd Consecutive Week

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Oct. 15, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans who filed a continued claim for unemployment insurance benefits fell for the 23rd consecutive week, dropping 8 percent for the week ending Oct. 10 to 8,386. The four-week moving average for continued claims also fell by 8 percent – down from 10,314 for the week ending Oct. 3 to 9,533.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 3,519 for the week ending Oct. 10, increasing by 564 claims as the four-week moving average fell by just 1 percent to 3,227.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Decrease for 22 Consecutive Weeks

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Oct. 8, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

Unemployment continued claims – the number of people who requested an unemployment benefit payment – continued to fall the week ending Oct. 3, dropping 8 percent from the previous week to 9,144, the 22nd consecutive week of declines.

The four-week moving average for continued claims fell 9 percent – from 11,284 for the week ending Sept. 26 to 10,314 for the week ending Oct. 3.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 2,955 for the week ending Oct. 3, dropping slightly by 40 claims, pushing the four-week moving average down by 6 percent to 3,265.

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Continued Claims for Idaho Unemployment Benefits Drop for 21st Consecutive Week

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Oct. 1, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

The number of Idahoans submitting a continued claim for unemployment benefits continued to fall the week ending Sept. 26, dropping 8 percent from the previous week to 9,895.

The four-week moving average for continued claims also fell by 9 percent – from 12,416 for the week ending Sept. 19 to 11,284 for the week ending Sept. 26.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits were also down, dropping 13 percent – or 442 claims – from the previous week to 2,995. The four-week moving average declined by 5 percent to 3,477 initial claims per week.

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Idaho’s Unemployment Continued Claims Decrease for 20th Consecutive Week

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Sept. 24, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

Unemployment continued claims – the number of people who requested an unemployment benefit payment – continued to fall the week ending Sept. 19, dropping 7 percent from the previous week to 10,708, the 20th consecutive week of declines.

The four-week moving average for continued claims fell 10 percent – from 13,842 for the week ending Sept. 12 to 12,416 for the week ending Sept. 19.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits totaled 3,437 for the week ending Sept. 19, dropping by 6 percent – or 235 claims – from the previous week. The four-week moving average declined by 2.4 percent to 3,650 new initial claims per week.

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