Nebraska jobless claims down again, still above normal

LINCOLN - The number of Nebraska residents seeking unemployment benefits for the first time dropped again last week but is still far higher than usual as businesses struggle with the fallout from the coronavirus.

The U.S. Department of Labor says the state received 12,340 new unemployment claims during the week that ended April 18.

The number has declined since a record-setting surge that peaked at 26,788 in early April.

Nebraska has now seen about 95,000 claims over the past five weeks, well over double the number filed in a typical year.

Unemployment has soared in Nebraska and nationally due to state-mandated social distancing restrictions on businesses as well as Americans who are staying sheltered at home.