SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — New state figures show unemployment slowed slightly in Utah last week, but jobless claims remained at historic levels as the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the worldwide economy.
About 24,000 more people filed for unemployment benefits in Utah last week, bringing the four-week total to 106,000. That staggering figure easily surpassed the total of 63,000 claims from all of 2019. The total for the week that ended April 11 marked a 27% decrease from the week before. Utah's woes mirror national trends.
The U.S. government said 5.2 million more people applied for unemployment benefits last week.