State’s unemployment claims rise 7.7% over previous week

Finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation shows initial claims for unemployment insurance totaled 42,541 for the week ending April 25, up 7.7 percent over last week and the fifth highest weekly total in state history. Nevada has met the thresholds required to trigger extended benefits.

Through the week ending April 25, there have been 412,211 initial claims filed in 2020.

Continued claims, which represent the current number of insured unemployed workers filing weekly for unemployment insurance benefits, rose to 274,850.

This is an increase from the previous week of 43,232 claims, or 18.7 percent. Continued claims, which lag initial claims, are likely to see further increases as the state continues to see elevated levels of initial claims.

Nevada’s insured unemployment rate, which is the ratio of continued claims in a week to the total number of jobs covered by the unemployment insurance system, was 19.9 percent in the week, the highest insured unemployment rate in state history.

It should be noted that the calculation of the insured unemployment rate is different from that of the state’s total unemployment rate.

Nationally, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 3,839,000, a decline of 603,000 claims from the previous week’s revised level of 4,427,000. The national insured unemployment rate for the week ending April 18 was 12.4 percent, the highest rate in the history of the series. The national rate is reported with a one-week lag.

The state’s 13-week average of continued claims to covered employment rose to 5.8 percent in the week, above the threshold of 5 percent to trigger extended benefits. In addition, this 5.8 percent is greater than 120 percent of the average rate in the corresponding 13-week periods in the prior two years.

By meeting these criteria, Nevada’s extended benefits indicator is “on.” Extended benefits provide an additional 13 weeks of benefits to claimants who have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits and their Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits.

To file for unemployment, use the online application at http://ui.nv.gov/css.html. People unable to file online may file via telephone by calling a UI Claims Call Center 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Southern UI Call Center is at 702-486-0350 and residents of rural areas can call 888-890-8211. For general questions, call 800-603-9671.

Claimants are highly encouraged to use the internet to file their UI claims, as it is the most convenient way to file and reserves the phone lines for individuals who are not able or do not have the necessary resources to file online.

Online filing during nonpeak hours, such as early mornings, at night or weekends is also highly recommended. To continue to receive benefits, claimants must file weekly.

Online filers are encouraged to participate in the online claim filing system announced last week. The system, now operational, is organized by last names and is aimed at providing quicker results for Nevadans seeking to gain access to unemployment benefits.

Claimants with last names starting with A-K are asked to file Sundays. Last names L-R are asked to file Mondays. Last names S-Z are asked to file Tuesdays. Wednesday through Saturday are open for all to initiate or renew claims online.