Nearly 11,000 people in Maui County filed for unemployment compensation for the week ending March 28 — about a 6,000 percent increase from the 180 people who filed during a similar week last year, according to state labor data.

For the week ending March 28, the latest statistics available, 10,849 initial claims for determination of eligibility to begin unemployment benefits were made in Wailuku and 84 on Molokai, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The statewide total for initial claims for the week ending March 28 was 48,639, up from 1,258 at approximately the same time last year.

The labor department said 160,929 unemployment claims were filed during month of March in Hawaii with 10,495 duplicate filings. With the state labor force at about 660,000 for much of the past year, the jobless filings represent about a quarter of the state’s workforce.

With the labor department buckling under the large number of claims, it is estimated to take an average of three weeks for people to get their initial check, said William Kunstman, spokesman for the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, on Tuesday.

“We are doing our best to pay within 21 days, but we may be longer for some claims,” he said.

The maximum weekly benefit amount a person could receive is 70 percent of the average weekly wage earned, according to the state. For example, someone earning $48,100 annually could see a maximum weekly benefit amount of $648, according to the state Unemployment Insurance website. The $648 is the highest weekly benefit an individual can receive through unemployment.

First-time unemployment filers should go to huiclaims2020.hawaii.gov/initial-claim. Those who have filed previously should go to huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/login.

Those who would like to see how much they could receive for unemployment compensation should go to huiclaims2.hawaii.gov/UI_ClaimWEB/pages/calculator/calculator.jsf.

The Associated Press reported that the federal government will provide an additional $600 a week for those unemployed through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES Act. The labor department website said it is awaiting guidance from the federal government on CARES Act benefits.

Links to various Hawaii contacts for unemployment can be found at labor.hawaii.gov.

Federal help for the general public is on the way. Anyone earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and who has a Social Security number will receive a $1,200 payment. Married couples filing joint tax returns will receive the full payment of $2,400, if their adjusted gross income is under $150,000.

The payment steadily declines for those who make more. Those earning more than $99,000 or $198,000 for joint filers are not eligible for the federal help.

The thresholds are slightly different for those who file as head of household. Parents also will receive $500 for each qualifying child.

The money will be direct deposited into bank accounts if the government has that information on tax returns. If a person has not filed 2019 income taxes, the government will use information from 2018 taxes to calculate payment and to determine where to send the money.

If a person does not have direct deposit, government officials have said checks could be mailed. However, an IRS news release on March 30 said that the U.S. Treasury plans to develop a web-based portal for individuals to provide their banking information to the IRS online. This is to help individuals receive payment immediately as opposed to checks in the mail.

The IRS has said the money should arrive sometime this month.

In addition to jobless compensation and federal money, Maui County has the HELP program or Hawaii Laulima Emergency Partnership Program available for residents, who have been laid off or experienced a loss of income of 25 percent or more on or after March 4. They also can have no more than $5,000 in liquid assets.

A family of one to two could receive as much as $440 in a 30-day period. A family of seven or more could receive up to $880 per month.

No cash will exchange hands. The program employs invoices to be used for buying essentials, such as groceries, officials have said. The program also helps pay for food, rent and utilities.

Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that 1,096 applicants have been accepted for the HELP program as of Monday. To apply for the HELP program, see meoinc.org.

* The Associated Press contributed to this report. Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.

HELPFUL WEBSITES

The following websites could help Maui residents who have been impacted economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Filing for unemployment with the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (The maximum benefit is $648 a week).

• First-time filers. huiclaims2020.hawaii.gov/initial-claim.

• Previously filers. huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/login.

• Claims calculator. huiclaims2.hawaii.gov/UI_ClaimWEB/pages/calculator/calculator.jsf.

Hawaii Laulima Emergency Partnership Program, county program for residents laid off or had 25 percent loss of income or more on or after March 4. HELP website is meoinc.org.