(Radio Iowa) – Ongoing unemployment claims took another drop last week. The U-S Department of Labor reports the continuing unemployment claims dropped by nearly 85-hundred last week and are down to 83-thousand-610. It’s the fifth straight week they have dropped. New claims were up by around 17-hundred for the week — and ended a four-week trend where the new claims had declined.

Iowa Workforce Development says FEMA has approved Iowa’s application to participate in the “Lost Wages Assistance” program — so those whose unemployment is the result of the pandemic will qualify for an additional 300 dollars in weekly benefits retroactive to the week ending August 1st.