New unemployment claims fell dramatically last week and are below last year's level, despite a spike after Christmas. For the week of January 5, 2013, there were 1,272 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is a decrease of 1,235 from teh previous week's total, and 155 fewer than they were the same time last year.
Altogether 10,414 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 700 from a week ago and 183 fewer than a year ago. The Department also processed 1,094 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 38 fewer than a week ago.
In addition, there were 56 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is the same as 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 more than 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 fell three-tenths to 5.2 percent in November, ending a five-month increase. SEE STORY