July 9, 2020

The number of new claims for unemployment in South Dakota increased by 155 week-over-week, according to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation.

Initial claims totaled 799 for the week of June 28, up from 644 in the previous week.

The number of continued claims for the most current week available, ending June 20, was 17,142, down from 17,163 the previous week and a pandemic high of 25,186 in the week ending May 9.

This indicates the number of unemployed workers eligible for and receiving benefits after their initial claim.

“I want to remind claimants that not returning to work when there is available work could be considered a refusal of work or voluntary quit, resulting in the loss of benefits,” Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman said. “Employees absolutely have the right not to go to work, but that is a personal choice and may impact their employment status.”

A total of $3 million was paid out in state unemployment benefits, in addition to $9.8 million paid out in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, $628,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and $83,000 in Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits.

The unemployment insurance trust fund balance July 5 was $126.3 million.