Initial claims for unemployment in Commonwealth remain at pre-pandemic level

The number of initial claims for unemployment decreased in the latest filing week ending July 22, 2023.

According to the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), initial claims fell to 2,293, but remained at the typical pre-pandemic volumes experienced in 2019.

Continued weeks claimed totaled 13,714, which was 18 claims higher than the previous week and an increase of 25.7 percent from the 10,914 continued claims from the same week one year ago.

Ninety-three percent of claimants self-reported an associated industry, of those reported 57 percent of continued claims were from professional, scientific and technical services, administrative and support and waste management, health care and social assistance, manufacturing and accommodation and food services.

Claims across the United States for the week ending July 22 totaled 221,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week’s 228,000 claims. In the same week in 2022, 200,929 initial claims for unemployment were made. Most states reported decreases during this week. The largest decrease was 9358 less claims in New York. The second largest decrease was in California, followed by Georgia and Pennsylvania. Virginia reported among the smallest decreases for claims in the country.