New unemployment claims continue to track well below spring peak

Initial unemployment claims continue to trend well below the April peak, with the number for the week ending Sept. 5 at 11,135.

The latest claims figure represents a modest increase of 830 claimants from the previous week, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

For the most recent filing week, continued weeks claimed totaled 217,485, a 6.8 percent decrease from the previous week, but 200,069 higher than the 17,416 continued claims from the comparable week last year.

Continued weeks claimed are down 46.1 percent from the May 16 filing week peak of 403,557 claims.

The continued claims total is mainly comprised of those recent initial claimants who continued to file for unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.