New weekly unemployment claims in state rise to 41,439, heavy fraud suspected

DENVER — An additional 41,439 people filed for traditional unemployment benefits in the week ending Jan. 2, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said Thursday.

While a sharp increase from the 25,360 that filed the week prior, the department said the figure is likely warped due to seasonality and a spike in fraudulent claims due to the expiration of the CARES Act.

No claims were made for state-level Pandemic Unemployment Assistance in that week, as President Donald Trump signed the latest round of federal stimulus a day after the deadline to enact that bill and keep the program running without interruption. The state agency said it is waiting for federal guidance on how to reinstate the program.

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The total number of continuing regular claims made in the state was at 277,616 for the week of Dec. 26, including regular state benefits and ongoing expanded federal benefits.

Nationwide, the U.S. Labor Department said 787,000 Americans filed for first-time benefits in the period, a decrease of 3,000 from the week prior.

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