Nevada's initial unemployment claims down through past week

Initial unemployment claims for the week ending Dec. 19 decreased by more than 11 percent in Nevada.

That is 1,029 fewer claims than the week before, a total of just 7,998.

But continued claims in the system operated by the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation totaled 86,013, an increase of 1,597, just shy of 2 percent. That is only the second increase in regular UI claims since Aug. 8.

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which provides 13 weeks of benefits after claimants run out of regular benefits, saw 99,474 claims during the week, up 1,265 from the week before. David Schmidt, chief DETR economist, said PEUC claim increases are expected as people exhaust their 26 weeks of regular benefits.

The State Extended Benefits program that provides benefits after workers exhaust PEUC received 20,611 claims during the week, up 1,906 from the week before.

Finally, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that covers the self employed and other workers not covered by regular UI benefits received 13,498 initial claims for the week ending Dec. 19.

That program has been the subject of wide swings in the number of weekly claims and employment security officials say they are still trying to understand why. There have been suggestions that the program is the target of scammers not actually entitled to PUA benefits.