Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Utah rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said last Thursday, Jan. 11.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 1,259 in the week ending January 6, up from 942 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 202,000 last week, down 1,000 claims from 203,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

South Carolina saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 202.6%. The Virgin Islands, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 50%.

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 St. George Spectrum & Daily News: Unemployment claims in Utah increased last week