New Jersey’s labor department paid out over $11.6 billion in jobless benefits since the COVID-19 pandemic slammed into the state in mid-March, ravaging the national economy, according to the latest figures.

Since March 15, more than 1.4 million state residents – or 1 in 4 New Jerseyans – have filed for jobless claims.

At least 96 percent have gotten at least one payment, according to Gov. Phil Murphy. But at such a high number, that spells out nearly 57,000 New Jerseyans who have been out of work because of the pandemic and haven’t gotten any state aid.

“There are people that just have not been able to connect and get that first penny that they’re owed. Overwhelmingly, if not entirely at this point” those reasons are “unique to that individual,” Murphy said at an unrelated event Thursday afternoon in Long Branch.

“Let’s say you live in Long Branch and work in New York City. There are cross-state issues that are complicated,” he said.

Thursday data from the U.S. labor department showed 25,606 New Jerseyans filed for jobless claims the week ending July 18, compared to 38,825 people the week ending July 11 and 47,391 claims the week ending July 4.

“This is a week over week decrease of 33 percent and the second straight week in which we’ve seen a significant decline,” Murphy said on Thursday.

As COVID-19 rapidly spread in mid-March, the Murphy administration closed down any kind of business where groups of people congregate to starve the virus of new potential hosts to infect.

That meant the state-mandated closure of bars and dine-in restaurants, non-essential shops, malls and casinos, gyms, barbershops, hair salons, concert halls and movie theaters.

What followed was some of the highest jobless rates in state history – 16.6 percent as of June – as businesses stayed closed for months on end or dramatically scaled back operations, prompting many to lay off or furlough staff, or shutter their doors indefinitely or permanently.

Many have complained about unemployment claims lagging since they were filed in March, frequent technical issues with the website, and near impossibility with getting in touch with a live human being to aid in jobless claims.

“We are painfully aware of the unprecedented number of our fellow New Jerseyans who are struggling financially as a direct result of COVID-19,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in a Thursday morning statement.

And, he added, “we are mindful that some workers continue to wait for resolution of their cases, and we are making every effort to get them a determination quickly.”

According to the labor department, not everyone who applies for benefits is eligible. So, some of the people who haven’t yet received aid may not qualify for a variety of reasons, from filing claims in more than one state, to individuals who voluntary left their positions.

Of the $11.6 billion paid out between March 20 and July 18, $7 billion came from the federal expansion of $600 a week included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, according to the state labor department.

That is slated to expire the week of July 25, and talks in Congress and the White House for a potential scaled back replacement, if any at all, will drag on through August, meaning a lapse in the added $600 a week is certain.

According to the state labor department, another $3.5 billion came from the state’s unemployment trust fund, $818 million from the federal CARES Act jobless aid for freelancers, gig workers and independent contractors, $251 million was from federal extensions to jobless benefits, and the remaining $6 million was from state extensions.

Editor’s note: This article was updated at 9:44 a.m. EST on July 24, 2020, to clarify that not all person who apply for unemployment benefits are eligible to receive them.