Unemployment During Coronavirus: 61K Marylanders Filed Claims

MARYLAND — More than 61,000 Marylanders applied for jobless benefits last week, the Maryland Department of Labor reported Thursday, marking a decrease from the previous week in new unemployment applications.

According to officials, 61,770 people filed claims for the week ending April 11. That's 46,738 fewer applicants than the previous week. It's also nearly 30 times more than the 2,090 who filed the first week of March, which is around the same time Maryland reported its first coronavirus case.

Since then, a total of 302,784 Marylanders have applied for unemployment benefits.

For the latest on the new coronavirus in Maryland, get Patch news alerts.

For the week ending April 11, the county with the highest number of claims is Montgomery with 9,548. Baltimore County is second with 9,187 and Prince George's County is third with 7,768.

The jurisdiction with the fewest number of claims is Kent County. Its total stands at 118 for last week.

Here's a visual:

Process For Filing A Regular Claim

File your unemployment claim according to these instructions:

• If your last name starts with A - F, file your claim on Monday.
• If your last name starts with G - N, file your claim on Tuesday.
• If your last name starts with O - Z, file your claim on Wednesday.
• Claim filing is open to all last names by phone on Thursday and Friday and online Thursday through Sunday.
• Filing later in the week will not delay your payments or affect the date of your claim.

Residents are asked to use the online NetClaims application to file their claim. This online application is available 24/7, but the office asks Marylanders to file during non-peak hours, like early in the morning and late in the evening (8 p.m. - 7 a.m.), for faster processing speeds.

Starting Saturday, April 18, Claims Centers will also be open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. The number is 410-949-0022.

If you have difficulty placing a call or accessing our website, claimants can e-mail questions to ui.inquiry@maryland.gov. Employers can e-mail questions to dluiemployerassistance-labor@maryland.gov or contact 410-767-2412. Claims may only be filed by phone or online; claims cannot be filed by email.

SEE ALSO:

• Face Masks Required Statewide Plus 4 Benchmarks To MD Reopening
• Chevy Chase Man, 89, Sews Coronavirus Face Masks For Hospital
• MD Judge Orders Release Of At-Risk Inmates During Pandemic
• MD Coronavirus Cases Rise After 'Deadliest 48 Hours'