This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims.

ESD reported a total of 16,899 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the week ending April 3. Of this total, 11,863 initial claims were filed under the regular state unemployment insurance program; 2,102 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment assistance program, which covers self-employed persons, independent contractors and part-time workers; and 2,934 claims were filed under the federal pandemic unemployment compensation program, which adds 13 weeks to the maximum term of benefits.

The number of new claims for regular unemployment insurance is an increase of 418 from the number of claims filed during the preceding week. ESD notes:

Increases in layoffs in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services as well as Administrative Support Services sectors contributed to the increase in regular initial claims last week.

The four-week moving average of regular initial claims is 11,601, up 26 from the preceding week. I estimate that the seasonally adjusted 4-week average of regular initial claims was 12,844 down from 12,934 (revised) the preceding week.

The number of initial claims under the two federal pandemic programs is a decrease of 521 from the number filed during the preceding week.

ESD reports that continuing claims for unemployment insurance totaled 409,904 in the most recent week. This is a decrease of 3,161 from the number reported for the preceding week.

The ESD press release is here.