Significant Statistics | Utah Ranks Lowest in Unemployment Claims as a Percentage of Workforce

THE LATEST NATIONAL TAX FOUNDATION NUMBERS comparing unemployment claims put Utah in a favorable position relative to her 50 sisters: as of May 16, the Beehive State had the nation’s lowest unemployment claims as a percentage of the civilian workforce, at 5.7%. Contrast Utah’s situation with the five states with the highest percentage of claims, including three states in our neighborhood: Washington (31%), Nevada (25%), Oregon (24%), Hawaii (24%) and Florida (23%). The figures reflect both initial and continuing claims.¹

Of course, it hasn’t been sunshine in Utah. On May 22, the state’s Department of Workforce Services released numbers showing the walloping Utah’s workers took in April. Year over year, the dismal month saw a 111,000-job plunge, even after March had held relatively strong. Still, Utah’s April nonfarm payroll employment year-over drop of 7% significantly outperformed the nation at large, with a 13% swoon.²

On an industry basis, leisure and hospitality took by far the biggest hit in Utah — bigger than all other non-farm industries combined — dropping 47% in April 2020 compared to April 2019. One bright spot was construction, which actually saw a 3% uptick.³