State’s unemployment claims drop again

SBJ Staff

Posted online July 9, 2006 | 11:00 pm

Missouri’s unemployment insurance claims continued their steady decline in May, according to a recent report from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relation’s Division of Employment Security.

The June 28 report shows weekly unemployment insurance claims dropped 1 percent in May to 29,086, compared to May 2005.

For the same period, 188,754 weekly claims were filed, down 4 percent from last May and marking the 15th straight month with a decline.

The unemployment rate in Missouri fell 1 percent in May from the same month last year to 4.4 percent. The state’s rate was slightly below the national rate of 4.6 percent.

“Missouri continues to add jobs across the state and is up 45,100 new jobs since January 2005,” said Rod Chapel, director of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in a news release. “More Missourians are working today than a year ago, which is good news for Missouri’s economy and families.”

The state department distributes compensation for up to 26 weeks to eligible individuals who become unemployed through no fault of their own.[[In-content Ad]]