BOISE — Idaho workers laid off due to the coronavirus filed 13,341 new claims for unemployment insurance benefits during the week of March 15-21, up 12,310 for a 1,200% increase over the previous week.

“Our priority is to get benefits out to those who are eligible as quickly as possible and help Idaho employers who are hiring find the staff they need as soon as possible,” said Idaho Department of Labor Director Jani Revier.

Revier is also encouraging Idahoans to be patient.

“We’re doing everything we can to increase access for people needing to file for benefits or look for work,” she said. “We have all hands on deck to get to claimant phone calls as soon as possible.”

People filing for benefits can take two steps that will help speed about the process. The first is to read the answers to frequently asked questions at labor.idaho.gov/dnn/Unemployment-Benefits/Questions-Answers about filing for unemployment benefits before they try to file online. Pulling together the last two years of their work history beforehand will also help speed up the process.