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September 10, 2009
The number of Massachusetts residents collecting unemployment benefits slipped to 142,158 in the week ended Aug. 22 — down 23 percent from the state’s high-water mark reached in mid February , according to new U.S. Department of Labor data.
The commonwealth’s high point came in the week ended Feb. 21, when 183,461 state residents collected unemployment benefits. Those roles have steadily declined, with a few random increases along the way, ever since, according to Labor Department data.
Massachusetts is one of numerous states offering extended unemployment benefits to workers because of the severity of the economic downturn.
Meanwhile, initial unemployment claims in Massachusetts totaled 8,115 in the week ended Aug. 29, per the Labor Department.
That number is well below the weekly peak for new jobless filings of 16,781 in the week ended Jan 3.
Initial claims reflect job elimination, while the level of continued claims shows how difficult it is for laid-off workers to find new jobs.
Nationwide, the Labor Department reported that 6.09 million Americans were getting unemployment benefits, the lowest level since April.
Nationally, there were 550,000 new benefits claims in the week ended Sept. 5, down from the four-week moving average of 570,000.The Denver Business Journal contributed to this story.
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