DOVER, Del. (AP) - The number of initial unemployment claims filed by Delawareans fell last week to its lowest level since before the coronavirus pandemic struck but the total filed since March 15 now exceeds 100,000.
The Delaware Department of Labor reported Thursday that just under 4,651 initial unemployment claims were filed for the week ending May 23. That’s less than one-fourth of the number of claims filed in both the last week of March and the first week of April.
Officials said almost 100,475 initial jobless claims have been filed since March 15, and just under $282 million in unemployment benefits paid. That total includes about $176 million in federal funds and $105 million from Delaware’s unemployment insurance trust fund.
By comparison, the fund paid out a total of $59 million in 2019.
Jobless claims soared after Democratic Gov. John Carney imposed wide-ranging restrictions and closures on businesses in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.
Carney in recent weeks has loosened some of restrictions on economic activity under pressure from the business, tourism and agricultural communities but has kept others in place. The official first phase of a gradual reopening of the state’s economy is to begin June 1.
State officials have said they expect that they will use up to $400 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Fund payments to help cover the cost of unemployment claims.
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