Weekly unemployment claims in Tennessee dropped below 20,000 for the first time since the pandemic began last week, according to the latest report from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce.

The department reported the number of new claims for the week ending June 13 was 19,925 a slight decrease from the 21,417 filed in the week ending on June 6.

This marks the first time less than 20,000 new unemployment claims were filed in one week since the week ending on March 14 when only 2,702 new claims were made.

The total number of new claims since March 15 now stands at 622,644.

Greater Memphis and Northern Middle Tennessee accounted for the most new claims with 5,467 and 4,880, respectively. The East Tennessee region accounted for the third-highest number of new claims with 2,055.

Weekly unemployment claims in Tennessee peaked in the week ending in April 4, when 116,141 Tennesseans filed claims and have gradually decreased since then. Continued claims decreased by nearly 12,000 compared to the week ending in June 6.

About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, a historically high number, even as the economy increasingly reopens and employers bring some people back to work.