Delaware is still shedding jobs, but the rate continues to slow substantially. Unemployment claims fell for a fifth straight week.
The State Labor Department says 6,183 initial claims were filed last week.
That’s down more than 1,500 from the previous week when and 3,100 from two weeks ago.
And it is down significantly from the peak of job losses in late March when the state saw over 18,000 claims in back to back weeks
85,073 claims have been filed since March 15. That represnets about 17% of the state's workforce.
More than $142 million in claims have been paid during that period, including $42 million in benefits last week. The state says 64 percent of claims received between March 15th and April 26th have been paid.
The new numbers come on the heels of Gov. John Carney’s decision to reopen some “non-essential” businesses with limited services and strict rules.
Carney said earlier this week that move is not being made to ease the burden on the state’s unemployment fund, but conceded the fund is under stress.
He says generally when the fund is empty the state borrows from the federal government and he is hopeful the feds will also allow use of COVID-19 relief dollars to backfill the fund.