The number of Tennessee workers filing new claims for unemployment fell last week to the lowest level in more than six months since the coronavirus pandemic sickened the economy.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development said Thursday that 9,802 Tennessee workers filed initial claims for jobless benefits last week, including another 456 newly laid-off workers in Hamilton County. Although that was more than triple the volume of such first-time claims prior to the pandemic, it was the lowest since the second week of March when the COVID-19 virus began shutting down much of the state’s economy and ultimately pushed nearly one of every six workers out of a job, at least temporarily.
Total jobless claims paid did rise in Tennessee last week as the number of claims paid to both new and continuing unemployed persons rose from 228,053 in the week ended Sept. 19 to 266,028 last week. Tennessee is paying all of its jobless benefits with federal stimulus funds provided under the CARES Act.
Unemployed workers are getting less in weekly benefits since the $600 federal supplemental benefits expired in July and a temporary $44 billion payment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ran out after giving $300 weekly benefits for all U.S. jobless claimants for another three weeks in August.
Some workers who lost their jobs when the business shutdowns began in March also could be ending their 26 weeks of jobless benefits in Tennessee. Those unemployed and still getting benefits are also being required this week for the first time since March to prove that they have applied for at least three other jobs during the week in order to keep their benefits.