PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – Over 5,100 people filed an initial claim for unemployment benefits in South Dakota last week. That was down about 1,200 over the week before.

Department of Labor & Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman says they expect to see those numbers go up and down for the next few weeks.

Hultman says the new rules allow more people to qualify for benefits.

Hultman says they are seeing some workers being called back by their employers.

Between state and federal funding, about $14 million dollars was paid out in benefits last week.