The number of new unemployment applications in New Jersey rose last week, with 28,063 initial claims filed for the week ending July 25, an 8.8 percent jump over the prior week. That brings the total number of new claims in the state since the COCID-19 pandemic began to 1.44 million. State officials estimate that the pandemic sidelined one in four workers since mid-March.
Unemployed workers in New Jersey received a total of more than a half-billion-dollars in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation last week, with the newly expired federal unemployment supplement program driving the total amount of COVID-related benefits to $12.4 billion over the past 19 weeks.
The $600 weekly unemployment supplement that had been available since April has put $7.5 billion into the pockets of out-of-work New Jerseyans. The last day to collect the benefit was July 25, so most eligible workers will see their final supplemental payment in the next week.
Because it is a federal program, the supplement cannot by law continue to be offered in New Jersey beyond the benefit week ending July 25, unless Congress passes new legislation. The payments will continue to be made on all eligible claims for the weeks ending April 4 through July 25 — even after the program ends. About 840,000 people claimed the benefit last week.
About 1.25 million residents have claimed unemployment insurance benefits since the pandemic began, and 96 percent of them received payments, according to state officials. An additional 12,600 people who have exhausted all other state and federal aid are receiving state extended benefits, which allows an additional 20 weeks of benefit payments. In the three weeks since the program has been available, $11 million in benefits has been distributed.
New Jersey Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo acknowledged in a written statement that some residents are still having issues with their claims getting approved.
The weekly totals of new unemployment claims in New Jersey:
Week | New Unemployment Claims |
March 15-21 | 155,815 |
March 22-28 | 206,253 |
March 29-April 4 | 214,836 |
April 5-11 | 141,420 |
April 12-18 | 140,139 |
April 19-25 | 71,996 |
April 26-May 2 | 88,326 |
May 3-9 | 69,689 |
May 10-16 | 42,365 |
May 17-23 | 34,410 |
May 24-30 | 26,752 |
May 31-June 6 | 23,166 |
June 7-13 | 26,392 |
June 14-20 | 33,004 |
June 21-27 | 27,965 |
June 28-July 4 | 47,391 |
July 5-11 | 38,150 |
July 12-18 | 25,804 |
July 19-25 | 28,063* |
Total | 1,441,936 |
The weekly breakdown of payments (in millions):
Week | NJ UI | FPUC | PUA | PEUC | EB |
March 15-21 | $47.4 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
March 22-28 | $57.9 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
March 29-April 3 | $89.8 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
April 4-11 | $140.7 | $154.8 | NA | NA | NA |
April 12-18 | $179.7 | $238.8 | NA | NA | < |