By Representative Carl Albrecht, District 70
I hope you all enjoyed a happy Pioneer Day and had a safe holiday weekend, giving thanks to our pioneer ancestors and all they had to endure to settle this great and beautiful State of Utah!
We are in the middle of a busy wildfire season and it is our responsibility to do our part to prevent these disasters. Be careful in the great outdoors and be “fire conscious.”
COVID-19 Update
Utah’s COVID-19 Case Counts from July 20 – July 23
Monday, July 20
- 34,526 positive cases, an increase of 409 from the previous day
- 469,404 total tests administered
- 199 current hospitalizations
- 247 total deaths
- 21,504 recovered cases
Tuesday, July 21
- 35,012 positive cases, an increase of 486 from the previous day
- 475,443 total tests administered
- 186 current hospitalizations
- 251 total deaths, four more than the previous day
- 22,032 recovered cases
Wednesday, July 22
- 35,578 positive cases, an increase of 566 from the previous day
- 481,402 total tests administered
- 197 current hospitalizations
- 260 total deaths, 10 more than the previous day
- 22,532 recovered cases
Thursday, July 23
- 36,099 positive cases, an increase of 486 from the previous day
- 485,422 total tests administered
- 210 current hospitalizations
- 267 total deaths, seven more than the previous day
- 23,093 recovered cases
For more information, please visit https://coronavirus.utah.gov/. You can also call 1-800-456-7707 to receive the latest information.
Business Resources
The Utah Department of Health has provided a business manual for information on how to protect your business and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, the manual contains information such as:
- Keeping your business open and what you should do if an employee is exposed to or tests positive for COVID-19
- Answers to questions business owners have about requirements for quarantine and isolation, sick leave, and tax credits
- Cleaning after a positive case of COVID-19
- Testing employees for COVID-19
- How to protect your worksite, operations and employees
- Essential and critical infrastructure sector employees
To download this manual and read more, please click here.
Unemployment Update
Last week, Utah’s June unemployment numbers were released. Between May and June, our unemployment rate dropped from 8.6% to 5.1%. The national average unemployment rate is 11%. As we each do our part, we will overcome this virus and continue on a path of economic recovery.
Below is the latest information on Utah’s unemployment insurance claims. A few things to highlight from July 12-18:
- Traditional unemployment insurance claims decreased 6.5% from the previous week to 4,514 claims
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims decreased by .1% from the previous week to 1,492 claims
- Pandemic Extended Unemployment Claims increased by 7.7% from the previous week to 1,061 claims
- Total new claims for all three programs ended the week at 7,067; new claims are holding just above 7,000 over the last few weeks (see new claim graph below)
- Combined weekly claims for all three programs was 89,195
- Total combined numbers from March 15 to July 18
- New claims: 256,662
- Benefits paid: $1,146,109,860
This is the last week people will receive a $600 weekly stimulus with their unemployment insurance benefit. The Department of Workforce Services will be watching closely for the impact this has on claimants and anticipate greater job seeking activity once the benefit goes back down to the usual 40% replacement wage. As a reminder, there are more than 25,000 open jobs on jobs.utah.gov and DWS is hosting another virtual job fair July 30.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to represent you. August Interim Meetings will be Aug. 17-19 with a Special Session set for Aug. 20-21. Please contact me with questions or concerns at carlalbrecht@le.utah.gov or call or text me.