Initial unemployment claims in Nevada decline for week ending April 11; claims already at historic level

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation show initial claims for unemployment insurance totaled 58,641 regular initial claims for the week ending April 11, down 20,644 claims, or 26 percent compared to last week’s total of 79,285.

This is the lowest weekly total seen since the COVID-19 related business shutdowns, but is still more than six times higher than the state’s previous all-time highs. Through the week ending April 11, there have been 330,174 initial claims filed in 2020, already more than in any full calendar year in state history.

Continued claims, which represent the current number of insured unemployed workers filing weekly for unemployment insurance benefits, increased to 189,007 in the week, up by 57,886 claims from a week ago. Continued claims, which lag initial claims, are expected to rise as the state continues to see high levels of initial claims. Nevada’s insured unemployment rate, which is the ratio of continued claims to covered employment, was 13.8 percent in the week, up from 9.6 percent a week ago. This is the highest insured unemployment rate in state history.

State level data from the U.S. Department of Labor can be found here. Please note that state data from the U.S. Department of Labor tends to be released more slowly than national data. View the state level unemployment insurance claims report for the week ending April 11 here. A dashboard for Nevada weekly claims can be found here. A monthly claims dashboard with claims activity for March can be found here. View weekly county and city claims trends here. Dashboards are interactive reports that allow you to dig deeper into the data.

During the week of March 18, 2020 for example, Carson City had 2,383 claims compared to 2073 in 2019.

Nationally, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 5,245,000, a decline of 1,370,000 claims from the previous week's revised level of 6,615,000. The national insured unemployment rate for the week ending April 4 was 8.2 percent, the highest rate in the history of the series. The national rate is reported with a one-week lag.

To file for unemployment in the State of Nevada, please use the online application available 24/7 at http://ui.nv.gov/css.html

People unable to file online may file via telephone by calling a UI Claims Call Center between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Northern UI Call Center: (775) 684-0350; Southern UI Call Center: (702) 486-0350; Rural areas & Out-of-State: (888) 890-8211.

Claimants are highly encouraged to use the internet to file their UI claims, as it is the fastest and most convenient way to file and reserves the phone lines for individuals who are not able or do not have the necessary resources to file online. Online filing during non-peak hours, such as early mornings, at night or weekends is also highly recommended.

Online filers are reminded of the recently implemented online filing system for Nevadans seeking to file initial or weekly claims. This new system, announced earlier in the week, is organized by last names and is aimed at providing quicker results for Nevadans seeking to gain access to unemployment benefits. The new system will be operational this coming Sunday.

Last names A-K are asked to file on Sundays. Last names L-R are asked to file on Mondays. Last names S-Z are asked to file on Tuesday. Wednesday through Saturday are open for all to initiate or renew claims online.

Claimants are encouraged to visit http://ui.nv.gov/css.html and at https://detr.nv.gov/Page/COVID-19_(Coronavirus)_Information_for_Claimants_and_Employers to view important announcements and access essential resources. Online tutorial videos are also available in both English and Spanish and can be viewed on the Nevada Unemployment Insurance YouTube page.