Henrico's first-time unemployment claims drop below 1,000 for the first time in 12 weeks

The number of Henrico residents who filed initial unemployment claims during a one-week period slipped below 1,000 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, during the most recent reporting period, which ended June 6.

A total of 969 county residents filed between May 31 and June 6, according to data released this morning by the Virginia Employment Commission – a decrease of about 8 percent from the previous week. It was the ninth straight week of decline for the county.

In total during the 12 weeks of reporting data since the pandemic began, 30,472 residents of Henrico have filed initial unemployment claims. But just more than half of those people filed continuing claims during the most recent week, according to the VEC. The number of continuing claims fell by just one person – from 15,773 last week to 15,772 this week.

Henrico reported the sixth-most initial unemployment claims during the week ending June 6 – four more than Chesterfield, which was seventh.

Overall, Henrico has witnessed more first-time claims during the past 12 weeks than all but six other localities in the state.

Statewide, slightly more than 29,000 people filed for unemployment for the first time during the week ending June 6 – a decrease of about 6.5 percent from the previous week. More than 753,000 Virginians have filed for unemployment during the past 12 weeks.

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