OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of Nebraskans filing new unemployment claims appears to be stabilizing but is still far higher than it was before the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Thursday.
Nebraska state officials received 6,408 new jobless claims during the week that ended March 9, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Last week, the state reported 6,418 claims.
The number of claims surged to a record 26,788 in early April and has slowly trended downward since. Unemployment in Nebraska and nationally has surged as state governments imposed social distancing restrictions to try to keep the coronavirus from spreading and overwhelming local hospitals.
The increase overwhelmed the Nebraska Department of Labor, despite an increase in the number of workers to process claims. The department's original goal of processing 90% of claims in three weeks has been lowered to processing 75% of the claims in four weeks, forcing some unemployed residents to wait longer for their benefits.