(The Center Square) – Fewer Virginians filed for unemployment last week, but more people continued to rely on benefits, according to the state’s latest labor data.
Virginia reported 2,662 initial unemployment claims for the week ending March 14, down from 4,198 the previous week, a decrease of 36.6%, according to a Thursday release from Virginia Works’ Economic Information and Analytics Division.
Compared to the same week last year, initial claims were also down 15.2% from 3,141.
Meanwhile, continued claims increased.
Virginia reported 21,511 continued claims for the week, up from 20,437 the previous week, a 5.3% increase. Continued claims were also 17.2% higher than the same week last year, when 18,349 claims were reported.
Continued claims track the number of people who remain on unemployment benefits after their initial filing and can reflect longer-term trends in the labor market.
The latest figures show fewer new claims filed in the most recent week, while more people remained on benefits compared to both the previous week and last year.
State data shows most claims are tied to specific industries.
Nearly 80% of initial claimants reported an employer associated with an industry. The largest share came from professional, scientific and technical services with 344 claims, followed by manufacturing with 297, health care and social assistance with 237, administrative and support and waste management with 210, and retail trade with 185.
For continued claims, nearly 92% of claimants reported an associated employer.
Professional, scientific and technical services accounted for the largest share with 3,954 continued claims, followed by administrative and support, and waste management with 2,390, manufacturing with 2,340, health care and social assistance with 1,646, and construction with 1,510.
Virginia Works also tracks large-scale layoffs through Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, notices, which are required when employers plan significant layoffs or closures.
