Virginia Works’ Economic Information and Analytics Division, which serves as the Commonwealth’s official source for labor market and workforce data, reported that 2,391 unemployment insurance weekly initial claims were filed during the week ending Aug. 15, 2026. This is 10.2 percent lower than and 24.0 percent lower than the comparable week of last year (3,146).
The claims were filed with the Virginia Employment Commission, which administers the Commonwealth’s Unemployment Insurance program. Nearly 82 percent of claimants self-reported an employer which correlates to an associated industry. Based on this reporting, the top five industries (58 percent) were Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (294); Health Care and Social Assistance (241); Administrative and Support and Waste Management (236); Retail Trade (192); and Accommodation and Food Services (147).
Continued weeks’ claims (20,548) were 0.3 percent lower than last week (20,613) and were 3.2 percent lower than the comparable week of last year (21,225). Nearly 93 percent of claimants self-reported an employer which correlates to an associated industry. Based on this reporting, the top five industries (59 percent) were Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (3,662); Administrative and Support and Waste Management (2,399); Health Care and Social Assistance (2,036); Accommodation and Food Services (1,609); and Retail Trade (1,496).
