Initial and continued claims decrease
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) reports that continued unemployment claims, continued claims’ four-week moving average and initial claims’ four-week moving average decreased, while the number of initial claims increased for the week ending July 2.
“We are encouraged to see the four-week moving averages decrease for both initial and continued claims, as it reflects positively on the overall strength of our workforce and our economy,” said OESC Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt. “The state’s four-week moving average for unemployment claims is a strong predictor of longer-term trends and gives us a better picture of the state of our workforce. We are confident in the overall status of Oklahoma’s economy and will continue to monitor any variations in claims volume, including the slight increase in initial claims. Additionally, the agency is paying close attention to statewide and national unemployment trends to ensure we are providing necessary resources for Oklahomans seeking employment.”
Weekly Unemployment Numbers for Week Ending July 2
- For the file week ending July 2, the number of initial claims, unadjusted, totaled 1,749, an increase of 500 from the previous week’s level of 1,249.
- For the same file week, the less volatile initial claims’ four-week moving average was 1,624, a decrease of 56 from the previous week’s average of 1,680.
- The unadjusted number of continued claims totaled 10,827, a decrease of 90 from the previous week’s level of 10,917.
- For the same file week, the less volatile continued claims’ four-week moving average was 10,927, a decrease of 46 from the previous week’s average of 10,973.
Nationally, the advance figure for seasonally-adjusted initial claims for the week ending July 9 was 244,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level, the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) reports. The four-week moving average was 235,750, an increase of 3,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average. For the week ending July 2, the U.S. DOL reports the advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 0.9%, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the previous week’s unrevised rate.
The national weekly seasonally adjusted initial claims report is one of 10 components in the Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators. To smooth out the volatility in the weekly initial claims data, a four-week moving average is used to assess trends.
Claimant Resources
OESC is an excellent resource for people looking to reenter the job market by connecting Oklahomans with available employment through https://okjobmatch.com/.To learn about labor market information, including wage information, skills employers are looking for, standard pay, how to negotiate salary, and more, visit https://oklahoma.gov/oesc/labor-market.
For resume writing assistance and access to hiring events, visit an Oklahoma Works – American Job Center location. Locations can be found at https://oklahoma.gov/oesc/locations.
Claimants looking for work who need child care assistance are encouraged to use the Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ (OKDHS) 60 days of subsidized child care by visiting https://okdhslive.org/.
All RESEA selected claimants will receive labor market information that provides claimants with information about the job market, including skills employers are looking for, standard pay, how to negotiate salary, and more.
Individuals seeking unemployment benefits should go to https://ui.ok.gov and create an account with the Get Started button to connect their Social Security number and pull all unemployment information into one location.
Unemployment claimants should be aware that not returning to work when recalled or when work is available could potentially lead to disqualification from receiving unemployment benefits.
Employers may report this activity by emailing returntowork@oesc.state.ok.us, calling 405-962-7524, or mailing OESC at P.O. Box 52006, Oklahoma City, OK, 73152-2006.
If a claimant returns to work full time, they should keep their unemployment claim open with OESC and not certify a weekly claim. If they return part-time, a claimant may continue to certify their weekly claim and must report all gross earnings for the week to potentially receive a partial benefit. Eligibility for continued benefits is determined by the circumstances of each individual claimant.
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