SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The number of new unemployment claims processed in South Dakota dropped by nearly 25% during the most recent reporting week, state officials reported Thursday.
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation reported that it processed 696 new claims for unemployment benefits during the week ending on Dec. 19. That’s a drop from the 926 claims processed the previous week, but the economy continued to see the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, with unemployment numbers remaining higher than before the pandemic arrived in the U.S.
A total of 4,144 people in South Dakota were receiving unemployment benefits as of Dec. 12 - the highest number since October.
Gov. Kristi Noem has pointed to the state’s relatively healthy economy to defend her decision to forego orders to slow virus outbreaks.
“South Dakota experienced a truly incredible year,” Noem wrote in a message this week. “Despite the pandemic forcing businesses to adjust their practices, we’re wrapping up this year in perhaps the strongest economic position in the country.”
South Dakota’s November unemployment rate of 3.5% was the third-lowest in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.