Unemployment claims in Alabama increased last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Alabama 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 1,996 in the week ending November 22, up from 1,981 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 213,000 last week, down 2,000 claims from 215,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

North Dakota saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 74.0%. South Carolina, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 40.7%.

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.