COLUMBUS – The number of Ohioans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits grew by 15% last week while the number of workers filing continuing claims dropped by over 12,000 amid an economy still struggling with pandemic-related slowdowns.
Ohioans filed 42,975 initial jobless claims last week, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the third consecutive weekly increase as virus cases spiked, cold weather restricted dining and federal rescue aid expired.
The number of initial jobless claims filed in Ohio has gone up by 49% since Christmas.
The Labor Department said that 5.1 million Americans are continuing to receive state jobless benefits, down from 5.2 million in the previous week, a sign that fewer people who are out of work are finding jobs.
The number of Ohioans filing continued claims was 12,559 fewer than the week that ended Jan. 9, the first drop after two weeks of increases. The 265,467 continued jobless claims last week include both traditional unemployment claims and claims for extended benefits.
In addition, 112,784 Ohioans received federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. The agency began issuing supplemental weekly $300 federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments made possible by a bill signed into law on Dec. 27, which provides up to an additional 11 weeks of supplemental benefits through March 13.