---
title: "Labor Department reports small hike in jobless claims"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/7a6d75bf-100a-483a-b98c-fb231242e79f
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/labor-department-reports-small-hike-in-jobless-claims-1317
category: "General"
topics: ["Operations"]
published: 2015-03-19T21:16:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T13:25:43.893Z
image: https://1851franchise.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewimage.1851franchise.com%2Fauthor%2Ff6b69df61a7e0c25a97afce1df1b7ceb5133.jpg&w=3840&q=75
---

# Labor Department reports small hike in jobless claims

**TL;DR:** The Labor Department reported a small increase in unemployment claims, with 291,000 Americans filing for benefits. The total is still below the recent average of 308,500 a week.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2015-03-19. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/labor-department-reports-small-hike-in-jobless-claims-1317).*

## Story

The Labor Department reported today that Americans are filing more unemployment benefit claims, totaling 291,000. However, the total is still below the recent average.

Weekly claims for unemployment insurance serve as a stand-in for layoffs and if the number is decreasing, it’s a gauge for the labor market’s improving condition. Since the recession, unemployment claims have fallen – averaging 417,000 a week in 2008 compared with 308,500 a week last year.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- General (sector)
- labor market (topic)
- Labor Department (regulator)
- unemployment claims (topic)
- jobless rate (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/labor-department-reports-small-hike-in-jobless-claims-1317). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7a6d75bf-100a-483a-b98c-fb231242e79f).