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Tennessee initial and continuing unemployment claims continue to fall

TN.GOV/WORKFORCE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne)  --  The number of Tennesseans applying for first time unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level since the pandemic began.

However, the number of initial claims remains more than three times higher than rates reported during the same period last year.

State Department of Labor officials say 10,771 laid-off or furloughed workers applied for jobless benefits during the week ending September 12. That represents a drop of about eight percent over the previous week.

The number of Tennesseans continuing to apply for unemployment compensation also fell, down for the 19th straight week.

State Labor officials announced this week that jobless aid applicants will again be required to report weekly on their efforts to secure employment beginning October 4. The requirement was temporarily waived early in the pandemic.

According to the Tennessean, federal authorities have now informed state labor officials that unemployed workers will receive a total of five weeks of federal supplemental jobless benefits. The $300 a week in additional aid was authorized by President Donald Trump and administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Tennessee has already distributed the first three weeks of supplementary compensation. After the final two weeks of federal aid are disbursed, jobless workers will only be eligible for a weekly state benefit of $270 or less.

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