July 19, 2010
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS

The number of initial unemployment insurance claims (IC) in the 13-county Gulf Coast Workforce Development Area totaled 23,729 in June, down 16 percent from June ’09, Workforce Solutions reports. Although initial claims dropped from June ’09, they were 14 percent above May ’10.

“There are still local announcements of layoffs in city and county government jobs and in local school districts, so some increase in IC and the number of insured unemployed could occur in the latter half of 2010,” says Joel Wagher of Workforce Solutions.

Continued claims dropped 28 percent from June ’09 to June ’10. However, the significance of the decline in continued claims is not as clear for initial claims because expiring benefits could contribute to the downward movement.

The number of people unemployed 15 weeks or longer in June was 28 percent less than a year earlier.

Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research Department

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