Fewer Kentuckians Collecting Unemployment

The number of Kentuckians receiving unemployment benefits has fallen to just over 68,000.   

"That is down 57 percent from the high of 157,162 who received benefits in January of ’10.  The monthly initial claims of 35,000  is the lowest number in four years," said Joe Meyer,  secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. 

Meyer testified this week before a Kentucky House committee.

He  says the state’s current jobless rate of 8.1 percent is also down from its peak three years ago of 10.7 percent, which  was Kentucky’s highest unemployment rate in 30 years.