Initial filings for unemployment benefits in California dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 39,998 in the week ending August 2, down from 40,588 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims rose to 226,000 last week, up 7,000 claims from 219,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Maine saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 43.6%. Vermont, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 47.9%.
The USA TODAY Network 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 Victorville Daily Press: Unemployment claims in California declined last week
