NH Unemployment Claims Still Abnormally High Despite Drop

CONCORD, NH — Nearly 7,000 people filed for new unemployment claims in New Hampshire last week — a drop compared to past weeks but still 17 times as many people who filed at this time in 2019.

The U.S. Department of Labor released the latest figures Thursday showing 6,973 people filing for the week ending May 22. Last week's figure is a drop of about 2,000 from revised numbers that went up slightly to 8,794. The figures are much less than the 36,000 people who filed in early April. At this time last year, around 400 people had filed for unemployment in the state.

The federal government estimates that around 109,000 people are collecting unemployment insurance in the state. New Hampshire Employment Security said Thursday nearly 199,000 people have filed for unemployment claims since the start of the new coronavirus pandemic.

"While New Hampshire continues to add new claims for unemployment at higher than pre-pandemic rates, the number of 'continuing claims' by individuals who remain unemployed on a weekly basis has declined," Employment Security said, "indicating that easing of pandemic-required restrictions is resulting in more individuals returning to work in the state."

More than 40 million Americans, nearly one in four of working age, have filed for new unemployment claims since the start of the pandemic with around 19 million collecting.

The state estimated the official unemployment rate to be around 18.5 percent. At the end of April, the state pegged its labor force to be around 713,550 — which puts the unofficial unemployment rate closer to 27.9 percent.

Hardest hit sectors in the state continue to be full- and limited-service restaurants, medical and surgical hospitals, hotels and motels, dentistry as well as schools, child care, physician's office, new car dealers, and temp services.

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