Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Wisconsin rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 7,317 in the week ending Dec. 30, up from 6,298 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 202,000 last week, down 18,000 claims from 220,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 85.2%. Virgin Islands, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 78.3%.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Unemployment claims in Wisconsin increased last week