22,000 fewer jobless claims, state still among highest in increase

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The number of laid-off Kentucky workers seeking assistance continues to decline as the economy shifts into more activity.

But even with the numbers down, the state still has among the highest increase in the country as state leaders have made a concerted push during the last two months to get people to seek benefits and to push handling those claims.

The U.S. Labor Department said Thursday that about 47,000 Kentuckians applied for jobless benefits last week.

The latest round of filings was the lowest in two months.

That’s when the surge in Kentucky’s jobless claims was in its early stages amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Labor Department says 47,036 Kentuckians applied for jobless aid last week. That’s down more than 22,000 from the prior week.

Meanwhile, the consumer research site WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on increases in unemployment claims to rank the most impacted states in both the latest week for which we have data (May 11) and overall since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis (March 16).

To see the states most impacted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

Increase in Kentucky Unemployment Claims Due to Coronavirus:

• 1,970.25% Increase in Unemployment Claims (May 2020 vs May 2019)
  • 47,036 the week of May 11, 2020 vs 2,272 the week of May 13, 2019
  • 5th highest increase in the U.S.
• 808.91% Increase in the Number of Unemployment Claims (May 2020 vs January 2020)
  • 47,036 the week of May 11, 2020 vs 5,175 the week of January 1, 2020
  • 15th highest increase in the U.S.
• 4,241.99% Increase in Unemployment Claims Since Pandemic Started
  • 790,071 between the week of March 16, 2020 and the week of May 11, 2020 vs 18,625 between the week of March 18, 2019 and the week of May 13, 2019
  • 3rd highest increase in the U.S.