The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) on Thursday reported mixed unemployment claim numbers.
There was a decrease in initial claims, an increase in continued unemployment claims, and an increase in the continued claims’ four-week moving average, the agency said.
For the week ending April 17, the advance number of initial claims, unadjusted, totaled 16,034, a decrease from the previous week’s revised level of 17,997.
Initial claims’ four-week moving average was 14,241, an increase of 2,285 from the previous week’s revised average of 11,956.
The advance unadjusted number of continued claims totaled 31,976, an increase of 6,383 from the previous week’s revised level of 25,593.
Continued claims’ four-week moving average was 26,419, an increase of 1,780 from the previous week’s revised average of 24,639.
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“Last week, we saw a decrease in initial claims, with an increase in continued employment claims, which is likely due to an increase in initial claims from the previous week rolling into the continued claims category,” said OESC Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt in a statement.
“The agency remains focused on re-employment efforts to help Oklahomans re-enter the workforce.
“The career fairs we are hosting in May will provide an opportunity for employers and claimants to connect. I hear from employers regularly that they have jobs available and we are placing priority on connecting employers with those who need jobs,” she said.
Nationally, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims during the same period was 547,000, a decrease of 39,000 from the previous week’s revised level, the U.S. Department of Labor reported.
The four-week moving average was 651,000, a decrease of 27,750 from the previous week. For the week ending April 10, U.S. DOL reported the advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6%, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the previous week’s unrevised rate.
The national weekly seasonally adjusted initial claims report is one of 10 components in the Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators.
To smooth out the volatility in the weekly initial claims data, a four-week moving average is used to assess trends.
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Q&A: Filing unemployment claims amid virus-related job losses
How long does it take to get the benefits?
Typically, the wait time from the start of the process to when the applicant receives benefits is 12 to 14 days after they are approved. The approval letter could come up to 20 days after applying.
On March 19, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an order that temporarily suspended the one-week waiting period before unemployment benefits can be paid.
What if I still technically have a job?
Employees who are not formally laid off but have their hours reduced to zero can still apply for benefits.
Full-time employees whose hours are reduced to less than 32 hours are considered part-time and eligible to file for benefits under certain conditions.
How long can I receive benefits?
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission announced on July 27 that those who have maxed out their state benefits may now continue to receive regular state unemployment benefits for up to an additional 13 weeks.
Traditionally, those out-of-work may claim unemployment insurance benefits for up to 26 weeks per year.
What if I need additional assistance with my claim?
Assistance can be found at OESC’s 27 regional offices, which are continuing to see claimants in person — with masks required and social distancing in effect. Regional office staff also can assist claimants over the phone via their local office number.
Click here to see all American Job Center locations in the state.
How many Oklahomans filed for unemployment during the pandemic?
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission has experienced record-setting or higher-than-average unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state unemployment rate was 6.6% in June after peaking in April at 13.7%. The unemployment rate in May was 12.6%. An estimated 116,602 were considered out of work in June; as of October, 884,252 initial claims for jobless benefits have been filed in Oklahoma.
