The state labor department says first-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week that ended Dec. 27 decreased to 1,566 from the previous week’s total of 2,531. For the comparable week a year earlier, there were 1,721 initial claims, officials announced today.
The Associated Press reports a shorter work week due to the Christmas holidays contributed to the week-to-week decrease in initial claims. Industries with the largest decreases were construction, accommodation and food services and administrative and waste services.
The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, decreased to 2,350 from the previous moving average of 2,383. Continued unemployment claims for the week that ended Dec. 27 decreased to 20,328 from 20,837 the previous week. However, the four-week moving average for such claims rose to 20,520 from the previous moving average of 20,327.
