Initial claims for unemployment benefits in Virginia continued to rise last week, despite Virginia’s statewide unemployment rate falling significantly to 5.3% in October.
The Department of Labor reports 15,840 claims were filed for state unemployment benefits in Virginia during the week ending Nov. 21.
It was the 13th consecutive week that initial unemployment claims rose in Virginia.
New filings also rose in Maryland, but fell in the District.
Nationwide, the Labor Department reports 778,000 new claims for unemployment benefits were filed last week, up from 742,000 the previous week. The number of Americans currently receiving standard unemployment benefits as of the week ending Nov. 14 was 6.07 million, down 299,000 from the previous week, either because of voluntarily ending benefits or benefits that expired.
On an unadjusted basis, which factors out seasonal influences, initial claims for unemployment benefits nationwide last week totaled 827,710.
Initial unemployment claims in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, unadjusted, in the week ending Nov. 21:
District of Columbia:
- Week ending Nov. 21: 984
- Week ending Nov. 14: 1,380
Maryland:
- Week ending Nov. 21: 12,943
- Week ending Nov. 14: 11,396
Virginia:
- Week ending Nov. 21: 15,840
- Week ending Nov. 14: 11,088
The Department of Labor posts initial weekly unemployment claims online.