CA Unemployment Claims Down 58 Percent; Still Behind Other States

CALIFORNIA — California unemployment claims are down significantly since this time last year, but the Golden State still lags behind many other states in the U.S.

The country as a whole saw a 96 percent reduction in unemployment claims last week compared to the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by WalletHub. The only outlier when unemployment claims increased was the week of Feb. 28, according to WalletHub.

California's numbers are less dramatic as the state's recovery continues to inch along slowly. Compared to the same week last year, California saw a 58.44 percent decrease in unemployment claims last week. But since the outset of the pandemic, California is one of 19 states that has seen an increase in unemployment claims, according to WalletHub.

California sits in the middle of the pac at No. 23 in terms of recovery since the outset of the pandemic. California ranks No. 42 when unemployment claims are compared week over week.

South Carolina saw the biggest decrease in unemployment claims last week compared to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic with a 78.13 percent drop. Georgia follows closely behind with a 73.9 percent drop.

The District of Columbia saw the biggest increase in unemployment claims last week compared to the start of the pandemic with a 312.27 percent jump. Kansas follows with a 57.36 percent increase.

Unemployment claim data can only show part of the picture. California's unemployment improvement has been complicated and tells a detailed story including nuances with labor market participation, gender and age disparities, worker habits and more.

Read the full report from WalletHub.

This article originally appeared on the Across California Patch