Unemployment claims in the state for the two-week period ending Dec. 29 were up 18.6 percent from the previous period, though the increase was due in part to seasonal employment, according to the state Department of Labor.
State Labor Commissioner Patricia Mayfield said that there are more claims due to seasonal shutdowns and temporary layoffs in December and January, and that the increase is consistent with past years. For the period ending Dec. 29 this year, unemployment claims averaged 48,367. During the same period a year ago, the claims were at 47,058, making for a 2.8 percent jump from year to year.
The DOL also reported that the insured unemployed rate was 2.1 percent, up slightly from 2.0 in mid-December and the same number as last year.
