Unemployment claims in Vermont increased last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont 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 297 in the week ending July 13, up from 295 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 243,000 last week, up 20,000 claims from 223,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

South Carolina saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 91.1%. North Dakota, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 58.3%.

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.