New unemployment claims in Idaho dropped 18% last week

New jobless claims in Idaho continued to decline May 17-23, dropping 18% from a week prior, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.

Laid-off workers in Idaho filed 4,727 new claims last week, the department said Thursday.

Continued claims for benefits declined for the third consecutive week, falling to 56,692, a 5.7% decrease from a week prior.

Health care and social assistance, retail, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing, accounted for 50% of new claims filed last week.

Laid-off Idaho workers have filed 141,628 initial claims for unemployment benefits since March.

The state has paid more than $278 million in benefits, the labor department said.