Jobless Claims Rise in Most States

Most states saw increases in jobless claims for the week ending Sept. 19 as layoffs continue, increasing pressure on finances as more and more states are forced to borrow money to pay benefits.

The largest numeric increases in jobless claims were in New York (9,403) and Georgia (6,387), each being about 15% higher than the week before.

Layoffs continue among New York hotels, restaurants and department stores. In Georgia, airports and car rental agencies are among those shedding workers, according to recent layoff notices.

The largest percentage increases were in Oregon, up 52% to 7,311, and Iowa, up 42% to 6,601.

Illinois had the largest drop in numbers, down 4,271 to 23,113, and Delaware had the largest percentage decrease from the previous week, down 27% to 1,162.

According to Stateline calculations based on August labor force numbers, Hawaii has the highest share of workers on unemployment insurance, 21%, followed by the District of Columbia (16%) and California (15%).

States with the lowest rates of unemployed workers: Idaho and Alabama, both about 1%, and South Dakota, at about 2%.