First time filings for unemployment benefits in D.C. and Maryland fell last week, following the national trend lower, but initial unemployment claims in Virginia more than doubled.
Nationwide, initial unemployment benefits filings fell to a pandemic low of 553,000 in the week ending April 24, 13,000 fewer than the previous week. On an unadjusted basis, initial claims last week totaled 575,350.
Continuing claims, or the total number of Americans currently getting standard unemployment benefits, rose slightly to 3.66 million.
About 14 million Americans who lost their jobs at the onset of the pandemic have now regained employment, though an estimated 8.4 million fewer hold jobs now than before the pandemic, according to CNBC data.
Initial jobless claims during the week ending April 24, not seasonally adjusted, for D.C., Maryland and Virginia:
District of Columbia
Week ending April 24: 2,818
Week ending April 17L 3,268
Maryland
Week ending April 24: 6,781
Week ending April 17: 7,555
Virginia
Week ending April 24: 42,969
Week ending April 17: 13,751
The Department of Labor posts weekly initial unemployment claims by state online.
