New Weekly Unemployment Claims

At both the state and national levels, new weekly claims for unemployment insurance dropped in the week ending Sept. 12. It might be noted that the data we have been presenting refers to the "regular" unemployment insurance program. Congress created a separate program for "gig" workers, i.e., independent contractors who normally are not eligible for unemployment insurance. Such workers' payroll data is not reported to state agencies because they are not on payrolls. As a result, it is difficult to determine whether those claimants are actually eligible for the new program and what amount they are eligible to receive.

Perhaps, not surprisingly, there is evidence of significant fraud in the special gig program, especially in California which has a substantially disproportionate share of gig claims. See:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/16/business/economy/unemployment-claims-numbers.html

and https://www.capolicylab.org/news/new-analysis-california-unemployment-claims-surged-in-august-driven-in-part-by-questionable-increase-in-pua-claims/; https://www.capolicylab.org/publications/september-15th-analysis-of-unemployment-insurance-claims-in-california-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

In any event, the latest weekly claims release (as always) is at https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf.