RI Unemployment Claims Climb Week-To-Week

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island's unemployment claims increased week-over-week, placing it squarely in last place in a ranking of which state's unemployment claims were seeing the fastest recovery.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Rhode Island reported an increase in unemployment claims of 626 the week of May 29, compared to the week prior.

Nationwide, new unemployment claims are on a downward trend, currently 94 percent lower than their peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rhode Island was one of just two states — along with Delaware — to report more unemployment claims over the past week than during the same week last year, an increase of about 250 percent.

For this reason, personal finance website WalletHub ranked Rhode Island at the bottom of the list of states whose unemployment claims are recovering the fastest, which includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia. At the top of the list was South Carolina, followed by Wyoming and Vermont.