Unemployment Claims Drop

New claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana changed dramatically last week, the final week for the federal government’s $600 weekly supplement to jobless benefits. There were 17,578 new jobless claims in Louisiana last week, down 45% and at its lowest since mid-March. Hospitality, restaurant, and retail jobs have been the hardest hit. Last week’s applications are still nearly eight times higher than they were a year ago at the same time. As of mid-July, 314,448 people in Louisiana were receiving continued unemployment benefits. That accounts for 16.6% of the state’s eligible workforce.