Coronavirus Leads To Another Record Week For Jobless Claims In MD

Deb Belt
Updated ·4 min read

MARYLAND — The number of Maryland residents applying for first-time unemployment benefits was 83,536 for the week ended March 28, almost double from the prior week's record-breaking number of 42,981. That's a 94 percent increase in jobless claims as the effort to stop the spread of the new coronavirus shuts down many businesses in the state.

More than 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week — doubling a record high set just one week earlier — a sign that layoffs are accelerating rapidly because of the new coronavirus, the Associated Press reported.

That compares to the 3,852 people who filed for unemployment the week that ended March 14, and the 2,090 Marylanders who applied for benefits a week earlier, reports Maryland Matters. The smaller figure is close to the weekly statewide average.

As of Wednesday morning, Maryland had a total of 1,985 confirmed cases of coronavirus, an increase of 325 cases, which is the largest one-day increase to date. The Maryland Department of Health said there have been 13 additional deaths as a result of the pandemic, bringing the state's total to 31 deaths.

A statewide stay-at-home order was put in place Monday after the number of deaths from the new coronavirus in Maryland tripled over the weekend, from five Saturday to 15 on Sunday.

Maryland officials ordered schools closed on March 16, non-essential services were ordered closed March 23, and a stay-at-home order was issued March 30. Hogan has not banned travel, although he said anyone who has been outside of the state should self-quarantine for 14 days.

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Some of last week's jobless claims are likely delayed filings from the previous week, when state offices that handle unemployment benefits were overwhelmed by a surge of online and telephone claims.

The accelerating layoffs have led many economists to envision as many as 20 million lost jobs by the end of April. That would be more than double the 8.7 million jobs lost during the Great Recession. The unemployment rate could spike to as high as 15 percent this month, above the previous record of 10.8 percent set during a deep recession in 1982, the Associated Press said.

More than two-thirds of the U.S. population is under stay-at-home orders, imposed by most U.S. states. That has intensified pressure on businesses, most of which face rent, loans and other bills that must be paid.

Process For Filing An Unemployment Claim

The Maryland Department of Labor asks claimants to file according to a new system.

To file an initial regular unemployment claim online or through their call centers, file your claim according to your last name as shown below:

  • If your last name starts with A - F, file your claim on Monday.

  • If your last name starts with G - N, file your claim on Tuesday.

  • If your last name starts with O - Z, file your claim on Wednesday.

  • Claim filing is open to all last names by phone on Thursday and Friday and online Thursday through Sunday.

  • Filing later in the week will not delay your payments or affect the date of your claim.

Residents are asked to use the online NetClaims application to file their claim. This online application is available 24/7, but the office asks Marylanders to file during non-peak hours, like early in the morning and late in the evening (8 p.m. - 7 a.m.), for faster processing speeds.

Current telephone hours are from Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. Beginning Wednesday, April 1, Claims Centers telephone lines were extended and open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. To contact a Claim Center, call 410-949-0022.

If you have difficulty placing a call or accessing our website, claimants can e-mail questions to ui.inquiry@maryland.gov. Employers can e-mail questions to dluiemployerassistance-labor@maryland.gov or contact 410-767-2412. Claims may only be filed by phone or online; claims cannot be filed by email.

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This article originally appeared on the Annapolis Patch