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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Workforce Services reported Thursday that 7,067 people filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, a similar number compared to the previous week.
The volume of weekly claims was nearly 300% higher than the numbers last year, the agency reported.
The state paid more than $78 million in benefits for the week of July 12 to July 18, when more than 88,000 Utahns reported they could not find work.
“The pandemic has placed unprecedented demands on the unemployment insurance program, but the staff have and continue to do an incredible job meeting the need, issuing over $1.1 billion in benefits to eligible Utahns,” said Unemployment Insurance Division Director Kevin Burt. “The added support of the $600 federal stimulus expires across all programs on July 25. This program provided temporary relief for many until economic recovery began to resume, allowing ongoing stability to now be found in employment.”
