Henrico's first-time unemployment claims fall to second-lowest weekly total during pandemic

First-time unemployment claims in Henrico fell to their second-lowest weekly total since the pandemic began nearly one year ago, during the most recently reporting week.

Only 184 county residents filed initial claims during the week of Feb. 21-27, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. That was down from the 212 who did so the previous week and lower than every other week during the past 50 except for the one leading up to Thanksgiving, when just 160 people filed.

Henrico is the seventh-largest locality in the state but had just the 13th most first-time filers during the most recent week. Richmond led the state with 582 initial claimants.

Henrico’s total number of continuing filers dropped by just 5, from 2,012 to 2,007, during the most recent week.