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Press Release

Press Release  Massachusetts Monthly Unemployment Claimant Data for December 2022

For immediate release:
1/19/2023
  • Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Media Contact   for Massachusetts Monthly Unemployment Claimant Data for December 2022

Michele Campbell, Director of Communications

Online

Email Michele Campbell, Director of Communications at michele.campbell@mass.gov

MASSACHUSETTS — BOSTON, MA – January 19, 2023 – Massachusetts had 41,163 initial claims (IC) for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) during the month of December, an increase of 15,363 from the previous month. Most initial claims this month were seen in Construction, Administrative & Waste Services, and Food & Accommodation. Continued Weeks Claimed (CWC) increased by 47,668 from the previous month to 239,362. Construction, Administrative and Waste, and Food and Accommodation Services saw the highest number of continued claimants1 this month.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which was implemented on May 21, 2022, had 2 initial claims and 168 continued weeks claimed filed, a decrease of 98 continued weeks claimed from the previous month. The PUA benefits program ended on September 4, 2021.

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, which was implemented on May 21, 2020, had a total of 11 initial claims and continued weeks claimed decreased by 147. The PEUC program ended on September 4, 2021.

The federal/state Extended Benefits (EB) program, which triggered on May 3, 2020, due to the high volume of claims, had no initial or continued week claims filed in the current month. The EB program ended on July 17, 2021.

The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program, which was implemented on May 21, 2020, and provided an additional $300 per week on top of regular benefits, also ended on September 4, 2021, and has had no changes since.(*2)

  1. Continued claimants are defined as individuals who have ongoing, active UI claims.
  2. NOTE: Following the termination of pandemic assistance (PUA, FPUC, PEUC) and long-term benefit (EB) programs, claims reports will be published in conjunction with the Massachusetts Unemployment and Job Estimates monthly releases, at mass.gov/lwd in the News and Announcements section. Weekly UI claims reporting can be found at USDOL.
Figure 1 – Percent of Total Initial Claimants by Industry (December 2022)

 

Most sectors experienced increases in initial claimants filing over the month of December. Construction had the largest increase of 4,196 (+86.4%), followed by Administrative & Waste Management at 3,340 (+109.6%), and Transportation & Warehousing at 3,063 (+295.9%).

Table 1—Over the Month Changes in Initial Claimants

All sectors experienced increases in continued claimants over the month of December. Construction saw the largest increase in continued claimants of 6,160 (+68.0%). The largest percentage increase was in Mining, which saw an increase of 61 claims (+90.0%).

Figure 2 – Total Continued Claimant Changes by Industry (December 2022)
Figure 3 – Total Continued Claimant Percent Change by Industry (December 2022)

 

 

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Media Contact   for Massachusetts Monthly Unemployment Claimant Data for December 2022

Online

Email Michele Campbell, Director of Communications at michele.campbell@mass.gov

  • Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development  

    EOLWD manages the Commonwealth’s workforce development and labor departments to ensure that workers, employers, and the unemployed have the tools and training needed to succeed in the Massachusetts economy.

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