Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Ohio 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 6,107 in the week ending March 30, up from 5,043 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 221,000 last week, up 9,000 claims from 212,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Iowa saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 97.8%. 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 Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Unemployment claims in Ohio increased last week