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Another 26,000 Tennesseans file unemployment claims, but continuing claims still falling

Tenn. Dept. Labor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne)  --  Labor officials say that another 26,041 Tennesseans reported being laid off or furloughed this past week.

That brings the eleven week running total of initial claims for jobless benefits to more than 558,000 applications since the coronavirus crisis began.

For the second week in a row, the number of Tennesseans filing continuing claims fell slightly, indicating at least some applicants are returning to work.

The state reports paying jobless benefits last week totaling some $375 million to just over 333,000 Tennesseans.

The state normally pays a maximum of $275 a week in unemployment benefits for no more than 26 weeks. However, applicants are currently receiving an additional $600 a week in federal benefits approved by Congress in response to the health crisis.

Labor officials last week reported Tennessee’s unemployment rate spiked to 14.7 percent in April, an all-time high.

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