New Nevada jobless claims leveling off

Tuesday, April 16, 2002 | 11:04 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- There were 33,609 Nevadans drawing unemployment benefits last week, about 50 percent higher than a year ago.

But Birgit Baker, administrator of the state Division of Employment Security, said that's down from the 80 percent increase in the months after Sept. 11.

Another 11,052 people were receiving extended jobless benefits for up to an additional 13 weeks, authorized by Congress and President Bush.

New claims for benefits submitted last week totaled 3,500. For the four-week running average, that's 17 percent higher than a year ago. But that has been declining also. The new claims in January were 34 percent over the same period last year, declining to 24 percent in February.

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