MD Unemployment Claims Drop Slightly To 18,383 Last Week

MARYLAND — The number of Maryland workers filing for first-time unemployment benefits dropped last week to 18,383, down from 19,946 the previous week, according to the state's labor department.

The latest figure — which covers the week ending Oct. 31 — pushes the total number of claims since early March to more than 1.3 million.

Patch editors would like to talk to Maryland employers fighting to keep their businesses afloat or workers who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. And we want to hear success stories, too. Please send an email to maryland@patch.com with your name, town you live in, phone number, email and a couple sentences about your situation. An editor may follow up.

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

Prior to the pandemic, jobless claims in Maryland hovered between 2,000 and 6,500 per week. 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 18,383 workers who applied last week, 2,923 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 726, 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 4,962.

The most PEUC claims were filed in Baltimore County, with 808.

In late summer, the state began offering an additional 13 weeks of jobless aid to those who have exhausted both their regular unemployment and PEUC benefits.

Last week's filings for extended unemployment benefits (EB) was 417. Most applications came from Baltimore City, with a total of 67.