Some Benefits May Expire As Initial Jobless Claims In MD Top 1.4M

MARYLAND — More than 15,700 Marylanders applied for jobless benefits last week, the Maryland Department of Labor reported Thursday, marking a slight increase from the previous week in new unemployment applications.

According to officials, 15,754 people filed claims for the week ending Dec. 12. That's 393 fewer applicants than the previous week.

It's also nearly eight times more than the 2,090 who filed the first week of March, which is around the same time Maryland reported its first coronavirus case. Since then, more than 1.4 million Maryland workers have applied for first-time unemployment benefits.

The latest data comes as Congress faces mounting pressure to extend two relief programs under the CARES Act for gig workers and self-employed people. Without Congressional approval, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) programs will expire on Dec. 26.

Of the 15,754 workers who applied last week, 2,902 filed claims for 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 530, according to state data.

Claims filed for PEUC — a federal program that provides an additional 13 weeks of pay to workers who've exhausted their other benefits — was 2,453.

The most PEUC claims were filed in Baltimore County, with 368.

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 189. Most applications came from Baltimore County, with a total of 42.