Idaho jobless claims exceed 117,000 over six-week period

Laid-off workers in Idaho filed 8,827 new unemployment claims last week, a 32% decrease from a week prior, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.

Health care and social assistance workers represented 19% of new claims filed April 19-25, followed by retail, and accommodations and food services sectors at 15% each.

Idaho workers have filed 117,811 unemployment claims in the past six weeks, according to the department.

The Idaho Department of Labor has paid close to $45 million in benefits to laid-off workers from March 23 to April 25, including more than $13 million in benefits paid out last week.