First-time unemployment claims lowest since start of pandemic

OLYMPIA, Wash. — First time Washington state unemployment claims hit their lowest weekly number last week since the start of the pandemic.

For the 7-days through February 13th, the Employment Security Department recorded 13,607 initial requests for payments.

The last time the level was that low was when about 6500 first time claims were notched for the week ending March 7th, 2020.

That was two weeks before the initial surge of claims following widespread pandemic business closures.