BALTIMORE, MD—The number of Marylanders filing for first-time unemployment benefits dropped compared to the prior week.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported on Thursday that 46,676 Maryland residents applied for first-time unemployment benefits for the week ended April 18, 2020. That marks a decrease from last week’s figure, which was revised upward to 62,904.

Across the nation, a total of 4,427,000 filed, a decrease of 810,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 8,000 from 5,245,000 to 5,237,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,786,500, an increase of 280,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 2,000 from 5,508,500 to 5,506,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 11.0 percent for the week ending April 11, an increase of 2.8 percentage points from the previous week’s unrevised rate.

Maryland’s unemployment insurance fund is funded by the payroll taxes that state employers pay.

The Department of Labor has announced that self-employed individuals and “gig workers” may begin filing for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance beginning on Friday, April 24th.