Another 3,800 file for unemployment in Henrico

The number of Henrico residents who filed for unemployment between April 5-11 dipped from the number who filed in each of the previous two weeks, according to new data released today by the Virginia Employment Commission.

A total of 3,827 Henricoans filed for insurance during the most recent reporting period, down from 5,720 the previous week and 4,219 the week before that.

In total, 15,654 county residents filed for unemployment between March 15 and April 11. County officials earlier this week had estimated that about 16,000 residents likely have filed, and they may be right, since filings that have occurred during the past five days are not included yet.

In February, Henrico’s labor force was nearly 187,000, and more than 182,000 of those residents were employed (an unemployment rate of just 2.4 percent). County officials estimated this week that the unemployment rate was about 8 percent, though today’s data would indicate that number is closer to 10 percent.

During the past four weeks of reported data, Henrico ranks sixth in the state in total number of people filing for unemployment, trailing Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Virginia Beach and Chesterfield. Richmond is seventh, trailing Henrico’s total by less than 50.

All but seven of Virginia’s 133 localities saw a decline in the number of filers during the most recent period when compared with the previous week, perhaps indicating that the worst of this round of unemployment claims is over.

Statewide, more than 104,000 people filed for unemployment in the state during the week ending April 11 – a 30 percent decline from the previous week – increasing the total filings during the past four reported weeks to 410,762.