Initial claims for unemployment benefits in Michigan increased last week compared to the week before, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New unemployment claims, a measure of layoffs, rose to 11,499 in the week ending Dec. 21, up from 9,828 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims fell to 219,000 last week, down 1,000 claims from 220,000 the week before on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Kentucky saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims increasing 64.9%. West Virginia, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage decline in new claims, with claims falling 29.1%.
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 on Hillsdale Daily News: Unemployment claims in Michigan increased last week