New unemployment claims fall in Michigan as extra $300 benefit starts
New Michigan jobless claims continue to decrease, but thousands of workers have filed for new benefits this week.
New claims dropped to 17,392 on the week of Sept.12, which is down by 452 claims from the week before, according to the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday.
The national data for first-time unemployment claims held steady over the last few weeks. For the week of Sept.12, there was a modest decrease in national claims. Over 860,000 people filed for benefits, making a total decrease of 33,000 new claims.
Michigan is among the states with the biggest decreases in new claim enrollment. California, Texas, Louisiana, New Jersey and Washington lead the nation with the largest increases in jobless claims, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
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This week, Michigan workers filing for benefits should expect to receive an extra $300 from the Lost Wages Assistance program. These payments are retroactive and should be paid for weeks ending in Aug.1, Aug.8 and Aug.15, according to the Unemployment Insurance Agency.
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Workers already receiving benefits don’t have to file a separate claim, according to UIA. Claimants need to self-certify their unemployment status as a result of COVID-19, and all workers receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance have completed this step already.
To be eligible for this payment, your weekly benefit amount must be at least $100 before deductions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said this additional $300 will only be available for six weeks, and an estimated 910,000 claimants are expected to get this benefit.
