March 21, 2026, 5:02 a.m. PT
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in California 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 38,648 in the week ending March 14, down from 42,670 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 205,000 last week, down 8,000 claims from 213,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Kentucky saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 189.6%. Missouri, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 53.2%.
USA TODAY Co. 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.