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New state data show more Iowans seek unemployment benefits than previously reported
More than 14,000 received federal aid but weren’t counted in initial, continuing claim numbers
May. 13, 2021 2:15 pm
A man wears a mask while walking under a “now hiring” sign at a CVS Pharmacy in May 2020. (Associated Press)
New data released by Iowa Workforce Development Thursday morning show more Iowa workers have been seeking unemployment than the state agency previously reported.
IWD said 43,985 people received federal unemployment benefits, a substantially higher number than the 29,842 new or continuing claims, in the week ending May 8.
It is a decrease from 49,912 in the week ending May 1, though. IWD did not include the federal unemployment benefit totals from the weeks it reported before then.
The addition of the number of claimants applying for federal benefits to weekly data comes two days after Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa will stop participating in federal unemployment benefits June 12, almost three months ahead of the end of the federal programs.
An IWD official did not immediately respond to The Gazette’s request for clarification on the unemployment claim totals.
Out of the 3,649 new claims reported Thursday — an increase from 3,145 the previous week — manufacturing was the largest source of claims with 639, followed by self-employed and independent contractors with 457, retail trade with 269, health care and social assistance with 265, and construction with 263.
IWD reported a decrease in continuing claims from 27,764 to 26,193.
Iowans received $7.3 million in standard unemployment benefits, $16.4 million in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, $7.6 million in Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and $3 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
IWD also will resume charging employers for claims after June 12, regardless of whether the claim is related to COVID-19. About 47.8 percent of new claims were related to the novel coronavirus, the state agency said Thursday.
These numbers are preliminary and are yet to be adjusted by the U.S. Department of Labor. They also only include people actively seeking work and therefore do not necessarily give a full picture of how many Iowans are out of work.
Comments: (319) 398-8394; john.steppe@thegazette.com
