The number of first-time unemployment claims filed by Iowans rose for the fourth straight week last week, data released today by Iowa Workforce Development shows. 

Overall, 5,576 Iowans filed first-time unemployment claims in the week that ended on Saturday. That’s up 21% from the number that filed first-time claims during the week that ended Oct. 31. It’s also up 33% since the week that ended Oct 10, when 4,192 new claims were filed, state data shows.

Typically, Iowa sees a spike in new unemployment claims during November through February, due mostly to seasonal layoffs in construction, agriculture, landscaping and manufacturing, the agency said in a news release.

Additionally, the state agency reported that during the week that ended on Saturday:
•55% of the 41,236 Iowans who filed unemployment claims indicated their claims were related to COVID-19.
•$10.1 million in jobless benefits was paid out of the state’s unemployment compensation trust fund. Since mid-March, Iowa has paid out more than $994 million in unemployment claims.
•$1.4 million in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits was paid, which were retroactive payments as the program ended July 25. Since April 4, a total of $1,619,918,833 in benefits has been paid from the fund.
•$3.6 million was paid in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits. Since April 13, $143.2 million has been paid from the fund.
•$8.1 million was paid in Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits. Since May 27, a total of $125.1 million in benefits have been paid from that fund.
•$1.6 million was paid in State Extended Benefits. Since July 21, $17.3 million has been paid in extended benefits.

National data
New unemployment claims filed week ending Nov. 7: 709,000
People continuing to receive jobless benefits for week ending Oct. 31: 6.7 million
Advanced seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for week ending Oct. 31: 4.6%

Note: The continuing claims and unemployment rate lag by a week from initial claims filings.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor