U.S. Jobless Claims Drop as Insured Unemployment Rises Slightly

The number of new unemployment claims in the United States decreased last week, offering a mixed snapshot of the labor market as insured unemployment saw a slight increase. Initial claims fell to 215,000 for the week ending April 12, marking a drop of 9,000 from the prior week’s revised total of 224,000. However, the number of individuals continuing to collect unemployment benefits rose, indicating ongoing challenges for some workers.

The four-week moving average of initial claims, which smooths out weekly volatility, also declined by 2,500 to 220,750. On the insured unemployment side, the seasonally adjusted number for the week ending April 5 increased by 41,000 to reach 1,885,000. Despite the increase, the insured unemployment rate held steady at 1.2 percent. The corresponding four-week moving average in this category saw a marginal rise of 1,000 to 1,867,250.

Unadjusted data reflected a more modest change in initial claims, which rose by 3,176 to 219,710. Seasonal forecasts had predicted a steeper increase. Compared to the same week in 2024, initial claims are up by over 10,000. Meanwhile, unadjusted insured unemployment declined by 34,560 to 1,951,151, even though that figure remains above the total from the same week last year.

Geographically, California led all states in the number of new claims with 43,886, though it also recorded one of the largest week-over-week declines. States that saw notable increases in claims included Tennessee, Oregon, Virginia, and Florida, with layoffs reported across industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and retail. No state met the criteria to activate the Extended Benefits program during this period.

In federal programs, initial claims from former federal civilian employees and newly discharged veterans both increased slightly. Continued claims across all unemployment programs fell to just over 2 million for the week ending March 29, a drop of 75,341 from the prior week.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Department of Labor press release.

---