PORTLAND, Maine (AP) The number of Maine residents filing new unemployment claims went up last week after it had been trending downward.
About 8,000 initial claims, including claims for both state and federal benefits, were filed last week, up from 5,100 claims the previous week, the Portland Press Herald reported.
The Maine Department of Labor said Thursday an uptick in unemployment claims in July is expected because of temporary mill closures. However, the department said it’s analyzing the increase in claims because of concerns about fraud attacks on unemployment insurance around the country.
The department said it has also extended the date when unemployed Maine residents who are permanently separated from their employer must start searching for work to Aug. 9.
Unemployment has spiked in Maine and around the country because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The labor department said it paid out more than $1 billion in state and federal unemployment benefits between March 15 and July 11. It paid less than $74 million in all of 2019.
Maine health officials reported 20 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases to 3,598. State officials have also reported 114 deaths from the virus.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause more severe illness and can lead to death.
