Ohio Unemployment Claims Drop for 2nd Week in a Row

COLUMBUS, Ohio – There were 28,790 new unemployment claims filed in Ohio for the week ended Dec. 26, marking the second in a row that number fell.

In its weekly unemployment update, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services also reported 265,485 continuing claims were filed, the lowest number since the week ended Nov. 21.

In the 41 weeks since the pandemic began affecting Ohio, the department has disbursed $7.6 billion in unemployment compensation to 881,000 people, as well as $7.6 billion in pandemic unemployment assistance to 809,000.

Across the state line, Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor reports 38,279 claims were filed for the week ended Dec. 26, bringing the total since mid-March to 2,533,580.

The state has paid $6.4 billion in unemployment compensation and $7 billion in pandemic unemployment assistance.

Nationally, 787,000 Americans filed for unemployment benefits, the lowest level in four weeks but still nearly four times the pre-pandemic average. 

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.