Here's where unemployment claims in New Jersey stand as of Jan. 13

Staff reports
·1 min read

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in New Jersey 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 12,605 in the week ending January 13, down from 14,305 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 187,000 last week, down 16,000 claims from 203,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

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Virgin Islands saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 285.7%. South Carolina, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 50.7%.

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. 

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Unemployment claims in New Jersey declined last week