Ohioans filed 30,177 initial jobless claims last week, according to statistics the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) reported to the U.S. Dept. of Labor Friday. 

This was 244,038 fewer than, or about 11 percent of the peak earlier this year.

The total number of initial jobless claims filed in Ohio over the last 36 weeks (1,905,817) was more than the combined total of those filed during the last four years.

Ohioans filed 263,737 continued jobless claims last week, which was 512,565 fewer than or about 34 percent of the peak earlier this year.

That includes both traditional unemployment claims and claims for extended benefits.

In addition, 254,780 Ohioans received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) last week.

Over the last 36 weeks, ODJFS has distributed more than $7.3 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 846,000 Ohioans.

Of the more than one million applications the agency has received, more than 95 percent have been processed, with less than five percent pending.

In addition, ODJFS has issued more than $7.1 billion in PUA payments to more than 693,000 Ohioans.

Multiple job recovery efforts are also being made to rebound employment in the state.

These include the Ohio To Work initiative to help displaced workers reskill and restart their careers.

An $8.5 million National Dislocated Worker Grant that will help unemployed workers and employers impacted by COVID-19, and a $9.4 million grant to expand apprenticeship opportunities.

Individuals can visit OhioMeansJobs.com or contact their local OhioMeansJobs center to find and apply for job openings, take skill and career interest assessments, create or improve their resumes, and practice interviewing.

Employers can contact their nearest OhioMeansJobs center to get help finding skilled candidates for jobs, screening resumes, learning about federally funded tax credits or training programs, and more.