Kriss Sjoblom

More on unemployment insurance imposter fraud

The Seattle Times has a front page article today on the rash of fraudulent claims that has plagued the state Employment Security Department in recent weeks: Washington state officials have acknowledged the loss of “hundreds of millions of dollars” to an international fraud scheme that hammered the state’s unemployment insurance system and could mean even […]

Initial claims by sector

Here are three charts presentinginitial claims for unemployment insurance reported by Washington state’s Employment Security Department (ESD) by sector for the period from March 1 to May 16. A note of caution about these numbers: In recent weeks, Washington’s unemployment insurance system has been hit by a rash of fraudulent claims (press releases here and […]

In Washington 259,688 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 259,688 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the May 10–May 16 week. Of this total, 138,733 initial claims were under the regular unemployment insurance program; 61,325 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment assistance […]

Nationwide, 2,438,000 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 2,438,000 last week. This is 249,000 less than the (downwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 2,687,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 3,042,000, down […]

Monthly Employment Report

The state Employment Security Department released its Monthly Employment Report for April this morning. According to preliminary estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the state lost 527,000 jobs, net, seasonally adjusted (SA), from March to April. This estimate is based on BLS’s monthly survey of employers, which counts as employed all persons […]

May report of state tax collections

The state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) released its May report on state general fund revenue collections today. This is the first collections report to show the effect of COVID-19 on state revenues. For the sales tax, the use tax, the business and occupation tax, the public utility tax, the tobacco products tax, and […]

Initial claims by sector

Here are three charts presentinginitial claims for unemployment insurance reported by Washington state’s Employment Security Department (ESD) by sector for the period from March 1 to May 9. A note of caution about these numbers: In recent weeks, Washington’s unemployment insurance system has been hit by a rash of fraudulent claims (press release here). As […]

Fraudsters attack state unemployment insurance system

Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine today reported that the state unemployment insurance system has suffered a rash of fraudulent claims” Since the start of May – and particularly in the past week – the Employment Security Department has seen a significant rise in reports of impostor fraud. This is where bad actors have stolen […]

In Washington 212,962 filed 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 212,962 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the May 3–May 9 week. Of this total, 109,425 initial claims were under the regular unemployment insurance program; 55,911 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment assistance […]

Nationwide, 2,981,000 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 2,981,000 last week. This is 195,000 less than the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 3,176,00. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 3,616,500, down […]