How states fared on unemployment benefit claims

The Associated Press

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits declined last week, the latest evidence that a sharp economic slowdown earlier this year hasn’t caused employers to cut jobs. The Labor Department says weekly unemployment benefit applications fell 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 312,000.

Here are the states with the biggest increases and decreases in applications. The data is for the week that ended June 14, one week behind the national figures:

States with the biggest decreases:

Georgia: Down 2,245, due to fewer layoffs in manufacturing, administrative services, health care, and hotels and restaurants

Missouri: Down 2,130, due to fewer layoffs in manufacturing, hotels and restaurants, and health care

New York: Down 2,078, due to fewer layoffs in restaurants, construction and information

Tennessee: Down 1,494, no reason given

Texas: Down 1,341, no reason given

States with the biggest increases:

Pennsylvania: Up 7,120, due to layoffs in transportation, restaurants, construction and education

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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