Kriss Sjoblom

Nationwide, 881,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 881,000 last week. This is 130,000 less than the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 1,011,000. Beginning with this week’s numbers, DOL has shifted its seasonal […]

Unemployment insurance tax rates will be much higher next year

Unemployment insurance tax rates are adjusted annually and will be much higher next year. Most employers qualify to participate in the experience rating system. Under this system each employer is assigned to one of forty rate classes, based upon its benefit ratio, which is calculated by dividing total benefits charged to the employer’s account by […]

In Washington 28,656 filed initial claims for unemployment insurance last week

This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 28,656 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the August 16–22 week. Of this total, 18,389 initial claims were under the regular unemployment insurance program; 4,256 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment assistance program, […]

Work sharing

Washington state is prominently featured in a Saturday New York Times article on “work sharing,” which is an unemployment insurance program that pays partial unemployment benefits to workers who have had their hours reduced. Work sharing programs are extraordinarily popular among economists, Republican and Democratic policymakers, employers and workers — at least those who have […]

Initial claims by sector

Here are two charts regardinginitial claims for unemployment insurance by sector in Washington state for the four-week period from July 21 to August 15. The first chart shows the number of claims by sector. The five sectors with the greatest number of claims are, in descending order, accommodation and food services; manufacturing; health services and […]

In Washington 32,962 filed initial claims for unemployment insurance last week

This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 32,962 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the August 9–15 week. Of this total, 21,942 initial claims were under the regular unemployment insurance program; 4,762 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment assistance program, […]

Nationwide, 1,106,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 1,106,000 last week. This is 135,000 more than the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 971,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 1,175,750, down […]

Monthly Employment Report

The state Employment Security Department released its Monthly Employment Report today. According to preliminary estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the state gained 44,500 jobs, net, seasonally adjusted (SA), from June to July. This estimate is based on BLS’s monthly survey of employers, which counts as employed all persons who received pay […]

Good news on state tax collections in July

Yesterday’s monthly report from state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) on general fund revenue collections brought good news. For the sales tax, the use tax, the business and occupation tax, the public utility tax, the tobacco products tax, and penalties and interest (collectively the Revenue Act receipts), this report covers payments received between July […]

In Washington 32,981 filed initial claims for unemployment insurance last week

This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 32,981 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the August 2–August 8 week. Of this total, 22,140 initial claims were under the regular unemployment insurance program; 4,540 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment assistance […]