(The Center Square) – Louisiana’s initial unemployment insurance claims remained nearly 19% below last year’s level despite a weekly increase, according to figures Louisiana Works released Friday.
Initial claims totaled 1,204 for the week ending Sept. 19, up 55 from the previous week’s 1,149. That was below the 1,485 claims filed during the comparable week in 2025.
The four-week moving average of initial claims fell to 1,245 from 1,280 the previous week.
Continued unemployment insurance weeks claimed also declined, falling to 5,986 from 6,232 the previous week. The total was about 30% below the 8,589 recorded during the comparable week last year.
The four-week moving average of continued weeks claimed decreased to 6,347 from 6,611.
Louisiana Works said weekly fluctuations in initial claims are not unusual during the fall.
The figures track unemployment insurance claims rather than the state’s overall unemployment rate. The release did not explain how much of the decline in continued claims reflected people returning to work versus exhausting benefits or other changes in eligibility.
Louisiana Works does not publicly report benefit dollars paid in the weekly reports. It is tracked internally, and included in quarterly and annual reports.
