Unemployment claims in Virginia declined last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Virginia 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 2,178 in the week ending June 28, down from 2,205 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 238,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 234,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

North Dakota saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 83.8%. Vermont, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 56.9%.

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.