Maryland Jobless Claims Cut By More Than Half Last Week

MARYLAND — The number of workers who applied for first-time unemployment benefits fell sharply last week, according to data released Thursday by Maryland's labor department.

A total of 12,283 workers sought jobless aid in the week ending Feb. 20 — representing a 57.53 percent decrease from the 28,927 people who filed claims the prior week. It also pushes the total number of filings since early March, when the pandemic first spread in Maryland, to more than 1.68 million.

While the number of new claims has dropped substantially from its peak in May, it is still high by historical standards.

Prior to the pandemic, weekly filings hovered between 2,000 and 6,500. During the public health crisis, however, these numbers have fluctuated between 2,090 and 109,263. The all-time pandemic high was for the week ending May 2.

Of the 12,283 workers who applied last week, 3,009 filed for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) — a federal program for gig workers, contractors, and other self-employed people who otherwise are ineligible for regular jobless benefits.

The jurisdiction with the most PUA claims last week was Prince George's County, with 974, according to state data.

Claims filed for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) — a federal program that provides an additional 13 weeks of pay to workers who've exhausted their other benefits — was 1,887.

The most PEUC claims were filed in Baltimore County, with 314.