New weekly unemployment claims in state drop to 11,568

DENVER — An additional 11,568 people filed for traditional unemployment benefits in the week ending March 20, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said Thursday, a drop of 376 from the week before.

A total of 1,922 people filed for the reinstated Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program during the week, marking an additional 449 applicants. Figures for that specific aid over the past several weeks are not comparable to prior numbers due to changes in guidance from the U.S. Labor Department directing states to count only new claims or those who were rehired and laid off or furloughed again.

A total of 245,481 continued claims were filed for some type of state or federally-funded unemployment program in the week of March 13.

Nationwide, the U.S. Labor Department said 684,000 Americans filed for unemployment aid, amounting to a decrease of 97,000 from the week prior’s revised figure. That figure is the lowest in 12 months, which can be attributed to a mix of vaccinations starting to become available for more working-age Americans and a loosening of business restrictions across the country.

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