Press Release
January 28, 2021

Utah’s Unemployment Insurance Claims Report (Jan. 17 - 23)

SALT LAKE CITY (Jan. 28, 2021) — The number of total new claims filed for unemployment benefits in Utah was 4,535 for the week of Jan. 17-23, 2021, with a total of $18,994,077 of benefits paid. There were 32,462 continued claims filed during that same week.

New Unemployment Insurance Claims - Jan. 17-23

Traditional Benefits

% Change

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

% Change

Extended

Benefits

% Change

1/17  to 1/23

2,994

986

555

Week Prior

(1/10  to 1/16)

3,386

-11.6%

1,427

-30.9%

2,001

-72.3%

Continued Unemployment Insurance Claims - Jan. 17-23

Traditional Benefits

% Change

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

% Change

Extended

Benefits

% Change

1/17  to 1/23

19,465

2,780

10,217

Week Prior

(1/10  to 1/16)

19,341

.6%

2,919

-4.711%

8,642

18.2%

New and Continued Claim Comparison

Current Week / Previous Week / 2019 Weekly Average

Total New Claims and Benefits Paid

March 15, 2020 to Jan. 23, 2021

Current Week 

(1/17 - 1/23)

Previous Week 

(1/10 - 1/16)

2019 Weekly Average

Traditional

(State)

PUA

(Federal)

Extended

(Federal)

New Claims

4,535

6,814

1,131

302,621

64,026

34,295

Continued Claims

32,462

30,902

8,856

$613,697,565

$70,116,607

$94,211,218

$600 Stimulus (Expired July 25, 2020)

$300 Stimulus (Expires March 13, 2021)

$873,772,049

Lost Wages Assistance

(Expired Sept. 5, 2020)

$76,538,700

 

The number of individuals who have not requested a benefit for two consecutive weeks as of Jan. 16, 2021, was 2,383. A total of 1,641 met the same criteria during the previous week.

“The recent passing of the Continued Assistance Act, extending various unemployment programs, was followed by increases in new unemployment claims as well as a subsequent increase in continued claims,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “However, we have now seen an overall decrease in new claims for two consecutive weeks along with the recent publication of a 3.6% unemployment rate for the state of Utah; both positive indicators that employment opportunities continue to exist as Utah’s economy recovers from this difficult pandemic.”

New Claims (Weekly)

 

Continued Claims (Weekly)

If an individual's employment has been impacted by COVID-19, they should visit jobs.utah.gov/covid19 for updated information including help for employees and employers returning to work.

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