OKLAHOMA CITY – By the end of April, continuing claims for state unemployment compensation dropped to a level last seen two decades ago, while nationally the total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits remained at its lowest level in more than five decades.
Although initial claims increased slightly during the last week of April, continued claims and both four-week moving averages declined, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
“Oklahoma’s economy has hit yet another major milestone, with continued claims at a 20-year low,” OESC Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt said on May 12. “This is a direct result of our state’s resiliency, strong employers and visionary leaders. Oklahoma continues to be a national leader in workforce strength and stability and OESC remains committed to building a robust workforce and providing immediate opportunity to Oklahomans seeking employment.”
The total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits for the week ending April 30 fell by 44,000 from the previous week, to 1,343,000. That was the fewest since Jan. 3, 1970, the U.S. Department of Labor reported.
The government reported America’s employers added 428,000 jobs in April, leaving the unemployment rate at 3.6%, just above the lowest level in half a century.
The unadjusted number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits in Oklahoma for the file week of April totaled 2,235, an increase of 307 from the previous week. The less volatile four-week moving average of initial claims was 1,969, a decrease of 120 from the prior week.
The advance, unadjusted number of actual initial claims nationwide under state programs totaled 191,803 in the week ending May 7, a 3.3% decrease from the previous week. There were 488,815 initial claims in the comparable week in 2021, the USDOL reported.
The number of continued claims in Oklahoma the week of April 30 totaled 10,853, which was 282 fewer than the week before. The last time continued claims in this state were lower was in October 2000, Ms. Zumwalt said.
The four-week moving average of continued claims in Oklahoma the week of April 30 was 11,318, a decrease of 329 from the previous week’s average.
Nationally, the total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 23 was 1.44 million; in comparison, 16.84 million individuals claimed benefits in all programs during the comparable week in 2021.
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