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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Initial unemployment claims increase in Iowa for first time in four weeks
John Steppe
May. 28, 2020 9:24 am, Updated: May. 28, 2020 3:28 pm
Iowa saw 14,586 initial unemployment claims between May 17 and May 23, Iowa Workforce Development said Thursday morning.
It's the first week-to-week increase in initial claims for the state since the end of April.
The state received 180,679 continuing unemployment claims.
State unemployment benefits totaled $48.8 million, the department reported. The federal government issued $104.4 million in unemployment benefits to Iowans.
Federal unemployment benefits have reached $661.1 million since April 4.
Iowa's manufacturing sector saw the most unemployment claims (3,835) followed by self-employed and independent contractors (2,382) and health care and social assistance (1,399).
These numbers only include those who are actively looking for work, and do not include those who have stopped searching, no longer are eligible or have cycled out of the system.
Comments: (319) 398-8394; john.steppe@thegazette.com
Line chart updated on May 28, 2020, showing initial unemployment insurance claims in Iowa.