A pair of unemployment numbers is going in opposite directions in South Dakota.
The new numbers show South Dakota’s unemployment rate fell to 7.2 percent last month. That’s down from a peak of 10.2 percent in April.
But the pandemic’s effect on the state’s economy is still apparent. Last week, new claims for unemployment assistance increased for the second week in a row.
There were 1,160 initial unemployment claims for the week that ended Saturday, up from 835 and 644 the prior two weeks.
The state’s unemployment assistance program is housed in the Department of Labor and Regulation, where Dawn Dovre is a spokeswoman for Secretary Marcia Hultman.
“Things have not slowed down at all, and Secretary Hultman likes to refer to the snake that swallowed the beach ball,” Dovre said. “We’re still working through all those claims. That beach ball is still there, and so we’re definitely still as busy as we have been.”
Despite the upward trend of the past few weeks, the state’s 1,160 initial unemployment claims last week ranked as the lowest number in the country. The next lowest number was in Wyoming, with 1,242 initial claims.
Since the pandemic began affecting South Dakota’s economy in mid-March, 57,441 South Dakotans have filed initial claims for unemployment. The number currently receiving unemployment benefits is 15,942.
Job Service offices around the state were closed when the pandemic began. Dovre said those offices are now open by appointment to help people find jobs. Virtual appointments are also available.
