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New state jobless claims increase for second consecutive week

State jobless claims dropped to 5,924 in the week ending July 3, a 21.1% drop compared with 7,505 filed the week prior, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. (Associated Press)
By Amy Edelen amye@spokesman.com(509) 459-5581

Layoffs in the professional, scientific, technical and administrative support services contributed to an increase in new jobless claims filed in the state last week, according to the Washington state Employment Security Department.

Laid-off workers in the state filed 11,863 new jobless claims the week ending April 3, a 3.6% increase compared with the previous week, the department reported Thursday.

Continued claims in all unemployment categories dropped 0.8%, with 426,803 applications filed in the week ending April 3.

The ESD paid more than $250 million in benefits last week. It has paid $16.6 billion in benefits since the pandemic’s onset in the state last year.

The construction sector filed the greatest number of total claims last week, with 1,796, and followed by retail trade, which filed 1,062.

Health care and social assistance filed 962 claims, while accommodation and food services filed 871. Professional, scientific and technical services filed 387 claims, an increase of 87 new applications compared with the week ending March 27.

Spokane County

Laid-off workers in Spokane County filed 713 new unemployment claims the week ending April 3, compared with 682 claims filed the week before, according to the employment security department.

In the county, 384 new claims last week were from undisclosed professions that have not been categorized into specific employment sectors.

Specialty trade contractors filed 84 new jobless claims in the county last week. Employees in the food services and drinking places sector filed 53, and social assistance sector filed 32.Amy Edelen can be reached at (509) 459-5581 or at amye@spokesman.com.