Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Ohio 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 8,485 in the week ending January 18, down from 13,940 the week before, the Labor Department said.

“Every employment insurance agency, if you ask them, will say it’s, you know, their busiest month,” said Michele Evermore at the Century Foundation, who specializes in unemployment insurance. “The industries that you see decline in January are seasonal, holiday-related, travel-related, retail and construction and outdoor stuff.”

Jobless claims applications rose modestly, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose to their highest level in three years.

Jobless claims applications ticked up modestly last week, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose to their highest level in more than three years.

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont 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 425 in the week ending January 18, down from 615 the week before, the Labor Department said.

We're basically seeing a small rise in jobless claims, 223,000, which is up from the originally reported 217,000 the prior week. We'll see if that is revised, 1,899,000 continuing claims, and that's an increase from a revised 1853.

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits rose marginally last week, suggesting that solid job growth likely continued in January. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 6,