Initial unemployment benefit filings experienced a decline last week, marking a shift in the job market dynamics. In Maryland, the number of new jobless claims, which serve as an indicator of layoffs, dropped to 2,438 for the week ending April 12. This represented a decrease from the previous week’s total of 2,669, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
On a national scale, unemployment claims also experienced a reduction. The total number of claims across the United States fell to 215,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s seasonally adjusted figure of 224,000.
Among the states, Kentucky registered the most significant increase in weekly claims, with a surge of 187.3%. Conversely, Tennessee reported the largest percentage drop, with new claims decreasing by 47.8%.
This information is part of a broader data release widely disseminated by the USA TODAY Network across its local news platforms, utilizing the Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.