More than 134,000 people filed for unemployment last week in Michigan, adding to the more than 1 million Michigan residents that have sought unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to data released Thursday by Department of Labor, 134,199 filed for unemployment insurance benefits during the week ending on April 18. That number brings the total number of Michigan residents who have filed for unemployment benefits during the past five weeks to nearly 1.2 million.
Around 820,000 Michiganders have received $1.37 billion in unemployment benefits, according to a statement from the Michigan Unemployment Agency.
The state said that workers who have yet to receive benefits should get them shortly after completing the federal requirement to certify their claim two weeks after filing.
“We are committed to providing this emergency financial assistance to Michigan workers as quickly as possible, but we know we still have a lot of work left to do to get every dollar in benefits to the working families that need it most,” said Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Jeff Donofrio in a statement. “We’re working around the clock to add capacity to the system so that we can continue to process all claims during this historic demand for benefits.”
Nationally, more than 4.2 million applied for unemployment insurance last week, bringing the total to 16 million. That number passes the previous high of 12 million set in 2010, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
“Today’s unemployment report shows continued, elevated unemployment claims caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Department of Labor is continuing to provide guidance and support to the States as they implement the enhanced unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, with 44 States now paying the $600 additional weekly benefit provided by the Act,” said Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia in a statement. “As American businesses look to open up again under the guidelines presented by the White House last week, the Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will continue to provide guidance and support to protect workers and ensure safe workplaces, backed up as necessary by appropriate use of OSHA’s enforcement authorities.”
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
Photo “Unemployment Insurance Claims Office” by Bytemarks. CC BY 2.0.
