The number of Iowans who filed initial unemployment claims last week jumped 31% from the previous week, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The state agency reported that 5,531 Iowans filed initial claims last week, 1,315 more than during the week that ended Feb. 27. In addition, the agency reported that 44,827 Iowans filed continuing claims last week, 3,562 fewer than the number that filed the previous week. The state agency also reported that $15.78 million in jobless benefits was paid out of Iowa’s unemployment compensation trust fund. Since mid-March 2020, $1.2 billion has been paid from the fund.