New claims for unemployment benefits increased last week after falling the previous two weeks in South Dakota.
State officials say 799 people filed claims during the week ending July 4. That’s 155 more than the previous week, but it's the lowest number of new claims in the nation. The next-lowest number was in Wyoming, where 1,100 people filed initial claims last week.
Since the pandemic began, more than 56,000 South Dakotans have filed initial unemployment claims.
The number of people currently receiving unemployment benefits in South Dakota is approximately 17,000. That’s about the same as the week before.
State and federal programs sent more than $13 million in unemployment payments to South Dakotans last week.
State payments come from a trust fund, which has been replenished with federal aid. The balance in the trust fund is $126 million.