First Time Jobless Claims Rise 19,000 Last Week

Washington, DC, February 28, 2008—Initial jobless claims rose 19,000 last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The number of claims in the week ended Feb. 23 gained 19,000 to 373,000. The four-week average of initial claims fell 1,250 to 360,500.

The level of claims matches the four-week average at the end of February 2001.

The initial claims data measure the number of workers who were laid off and who become eligible for state unemployment insurance.