#USJoblessClaimsDrop

Unemployment claims in Alabama declined last week

Staff reportsUSA TODAY Network

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Alabama 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 1,738 in the week ending December 28, down from 2,441 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 211,000 last week, down 9,000 claims from 220,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Delaware saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 120.6%. Virgin Islands, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 70%.

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.