Iowa Workforce Development announced an annual increase to maximum weekly benefits paid to unemployed Iowans and to workers injured on the job. The new benefit payment schedules will apply to people who file new unemployment insurance claims on or after July 7, and to workers injured on or after July 1. The rise in benefits was triggered by an increase in average annual wages for covered workers, which increased to $47,290.57 in 2018, up from $45,877.31 in 2017. Information about the weekly benefits will be available in the 2019 Unemployment Insurance Claimant Handbook beginning July 3 at www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov.