June 22, 2020 / Modified jun 23, 2020 10:18 a.m.

Continuing unemployment claims skyrocket

The number of claims passes 2 million for the first time.

Jobs stock

Nearly 220,000 Arizona residents filed first-time unemployment claims last week. That is the largest single week this year.

The number includes 188,000 people who are self-employed. Until recently, the self-employed were ineligible for unemployment but a temporary change in federal law allowed them to file for the first time. In Arizona, the self-employed were first eligible for benefits during the week of May 16.

Regular unemployment claims in Arizona also increased to 30,000, an increase of 8,000 over the previous week.


The state Department of Economic Security paid claims for more than 2 million continuing cases. In all, last week the state distributed more than $750 million, including federal dollars, for unemployment. Both of those numbers are the high-water marks for the state this year.

Some of the federal money will stop being distributed at the end of July unless Congress renews the program.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona