NH Coronavirus: Nearly 12,000 More File For Unemployment Benefits

CONCORD, NH — People in New Hampshire are continuing to lose their jobs at an unprecedented rate but, at the same time, each week, fewer workers are filing for claims, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor.

For the week ending May 2, 11,834 people filed for initial claims in the state — a drop of about 3,100 from the previous week. The number of claims are much lower than spikes of filers in late March through mid-April when anywhere between 20,000 and 36,000 people were filing claims weekly.

For the week ending April 25, the official total for insured unemployed workers in New Hampshire was 115,473. Unofficial totals bring the number of unemployment claims closer to 132,000. Using the state's February 780,000 labor participation benchmark, the unemployment rate is around 17 percent.

These figures don't include workers who may have lost their jobs and don't qualify for unemployment benefits despite both state and federal officials insisting that anyone who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 pandemic would be covered.

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The labor department said this week that numbers flucuate due to advance claims for unemployment not being directly comparable to claims reported in prior weeks, due to advance claims being reported by the state liable for paying the unemployment compensation. The previous weeks reported claims, however, reflect claimants by state of residence.

Not unlike the infection rates of the new coronavirus, the largest number of the layoffs in New Hampshire were centered around Hillsborough and Rockingham counties, according to New Hampshire Employment Security. At post time, employment security did not have the latest state information available, which, during the past two weeks, has included a town-by-town breakdown of people filing claims. State officials said the community-based numbers don't include Granite Staters who work in Massachusetts and have lost jobs there — since claims would be filed in the Bay State, not New Hampshire.

Between March 15 and April 18, food services and "drinking places" had the highest number of filers — 28,461. Administrative and supporter services workers, ambulatory health care services, educational services, and social assistance employees rounded out the Top 5 employment categories seeing jobs losses.

The updated data from employment security is expected Thursday.

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Employment security's filing system will be shut down for planned maintenance and performance enhancements from 8 to 11 p.m. on May 7.

Nationally, initial unemployment claims were still staggering but down from previous weeks — 3.17 million. For this week in 2019, 225,000 people made initial claims. About 33 million people in the United States have filed for unemployment benefits.

Learn More About The Spread Of COVID-19

The COVID-19 virus is spread through respiratory droplets, usually through coughing and sneezing, and exposure to others who are sick or might be showing symptoms.

Health officials emphasize residents should follow these recommendations:

• Avoid any domestic and international travel, especially on public transportation such as buses, trains, and airplanes.
• Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet from other people, including distancing while in waiting areas or lines.
• Anybody who is told to self-quarantine and stay at home due to exposure to a person with confirmed or suspect COVID-19 needs to stay home and not go out into public places.
• If you are 60 years or older or have chronic medical conditions, you need to stay home and not go out.
• Avoid gatherings of 10 people or more.
• Employers need to move to telework as much as possible.
• There is increasing evidence that this virus can survive for hours or possibly even a few days on surfaces, so people should clean frequently touched surfaces, including door handles, grocery carts and grocery basket handles, etc.

Take the same precautions as you would if you were sick:

• Stay home and avoid public places when sick (i.e., social distancing).
• Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

More information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services about coronavirus can be found here on the department's website.

• Guidance to schools can be found can be found here.
• Instructions for returning travelers to self-observe for symptoms of COVID-19 are available are available here.
• For more information on COVID-19 in NH, visit its site here.
• For the latest information from the CDC, visit its site here.

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• NH Coronavirus: 19 New Deaths — All In Long-Term Care Facilities
• New Coronavirus Takes Big Bite Out Of State Revenues
• Most Coronavirus Deaths In NH Occurred In Nursing Homes: Data
• NH Coronavirus Update: 6 More Deaths; 50 More Infections

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