Vermont Business MagazineWeekly unemployment claims reveersed a recent trend and increased at their greatest rate since the post-holiday period. Claims had risen in the late fall and peaked around the holidays and then fallen back in January and most of February. Forthe week of February 21, 2015, there were 873 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is an increase of 359 from the previous week's total, and 49 more than they were a year ago. In 2014, claims were consistently below 2013 levels on a week-to-week basis.
Graph shows private employment (nonfarm, nongovernment)
Altogether 8,150 new and continuing claims were filed, an increase of 182 from a week ago and 410 fewer than a year ago. The Department processed 0 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), the same asthe previous week.
There were no Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program. There were zero Tier III claims. The Tier I, II and III programs expired on December 28, 2013. Congress would need to act to renew these extended benefit programs.SEESTORY
The total for all programs was 8,150 claims, 182 morethan last week, and 512 fewer than the same time last year. By industry, Manufacturing claims are up and Constructionclaims are down.
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 two-tenths to 4.2 percent in December as total employment and the labor force grew. It was as low as 3.3 percent in May 2014.SEESTORY.
