Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Maryland rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 2,354 in the week ending December 19, up from 1,981 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 214,000 last week, down 10,000 claims from 224,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Nebraska saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 63.3%. West Virginia, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 39.7%.
USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Unemployment claims in Maryland increased last week