Initial claims for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts fell last week compared to the week before, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New unemployment claims, a gauge for layoffs, fell to 4,713 in the week ending Sept. 21, down from 5,307 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims fell to 218,000 last week, down 4,000 claims from 222,000 the week before on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Alaska experienced the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims rising 37.7%. South Carolina, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage decline in new claims, with claims falling 32%.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites nationwide, generated from data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.
This article originally appeared in The Herald News: Unemployment claims in Massachusetts fell last week
