For the second straight week, weekly unemployment claims climbed to over 1,000. For the week there were 1,106 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is an increase of 144 claims from the week before but 154 fewer than last year's total.
Altogether 6,790 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 240 from a week ago but 1,042 fewer than a year ago. The Department also processed 1,365 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 29 fewer than a week ago. In addition, there were 615 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is 18 fewer than the week before. The Tier II program of extended benefits is being discontinued in Vermont as the state's unemployment rate has been under the federal threshold for three months.
The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at:http://www.vtlmi.info/. Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at:http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc
Vermont's unemployment rate remained at 4.6 percent in May. This is the lowest rate in New England and fourth lowest in the US.SEE STORY