April 23, 2020

Initial weekly jobless claims in South Dakota fell by 1,231 claims from the previous week.

A total of 5,128 initial claims were filed for the week ending April 4, compared with the previous week’s total of 6,359.

A total of $4.3 million was paid out in state benefits, in addition to $9.6 million paid out in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits. The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund balance April 19 was $115 million.

The latest number of continued claims is 14,431 for the week ending April 11. This indicates the number of unemployed workers eligible for and receiving benefits after their initial claim.

Nationwide there were 4.4 million new claims in the same one-week period.

“Claims are being processed as quickly as possible, and if eligible, benefits will be paid retroactively,” said state Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman. “Please bear with us, as the reality is there are many claims in queue. If there are no issues, a claimant typically receives their payment within three weeks.”

SiouxFalls.Business sat down with Hultman earlier this week to discuss the unprecedented demand for services in her office and to answer viewer questions.