Unemployment claims in California increased last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in California 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 41,573 in the week ending March 29, up from 40,891 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 219,000 last week, down 6,000 claims from 225,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Kentucky saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 114.9%. Nebraska, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 33.9%.

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This article originally appeared on The Record: Unemployment claims in California increased last week