New weekly jobless claims in state drop 12%

The number of new weekly jobless claims in the state declined 12% last week, according to the Washington state Employment Security Department.

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing and educational services sectors contributed to the drop in new claims, according to the ESD.

Laid-off workers in the state filed 11,629 new jobless claims the week ending April 24, compared with 13,216 the week before, the department reported Thursday.

Continued claims in all unemployment categories dropped 1.5%, with 408,001 applications filed in the week ending April 24.

The ESD paid more than $230 million in benefits last week. It has paid $17.2 billion in benefits since the pandemic’s onset in the state last year.

Workers in the state’s construction sector filed the greatest number of new claims last week with 1,755, followed by retail trade, in which 1,143 were filed. Manufacturing employees filed 1,076, while health care and social assistance workers filed 1,070.

Spokane County

Laid-off workers in Spokane County filed 665 new unemployment claims the week ending April 24, a 10% decrease compared with the 743 claims filed the week before, according to the employment security department.

Some 333 of new claims filed in the county last week have not been categorized into specific job sectors.

Specialty trade contractor employees filed 55 new claims in the county last week . Workers in the food services and drinking places sector filed 48, and those in professional and technical services filed 32.Amy Edelen can be reached at (509) 459-5581 or at amye@spokesman.com.