The latest reading, 199,000 for 10 Oct 2026, was up 1,000 from the previous week. A year earlier it was 222,000.
Projection
gov.house's statistical projection for this series, with the range that has contained about 80% of outcomes in our backtests. In those backtests it was 6% more accurate than assuming no change.
| Horizon | Period | Initial claims | 80% range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 weeks | 07 NOV 2026 | 199 | 182 to 215 |
| 8 weeks | 05 DEC 2026 | 199 | 180 to 218 |
| 13 weeks | 09 JAN 2027 | 199 | 178 to 219 |
Backtest: 49 rolling forecast origins. Average miss at 13 weeks: 11.2 (no-change: 11.4).
A statistical projection, not a prediction of policy and not investment advice. How the projections work.
About this data
Weekly initial and continuing claims for state unemployment insurance, seasonally adjusted, from the Department of Labor via FRED.
What it measures
Initial claims count people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time in a week; continuing claims count those still receiving benefits. Both are published every Thursday by the Department of Labor.
Why it matters
Claims are the most timely official read on layoffs, available weeks before the monthly jobs report. A sustained rise in continuing claims means that people who lose jobs are taking longer to find new ones.
gov.house refreshes this page automatically from the official source twice a day. Figures are shown as published; recent values can be revised by the source agency.
Latest values
| Date | Initial claims | Continuing claims |
|---|---|---|
| 10 OCT 2026 | 199 | — |
| 03 OCT 2026 | 198 | 1,710 |
| 26 SEP 2026 | 199 | 1,714 |
| 19 SEP 2026 | 198 | 1,699 |
| 12 SEP 2026 | 198 | 1,712 |
| 05 SEP 2026 | 207 | 1,717 |
| 29 AUG 2026 | 207 | 1,765 |
| 22 AUG 2026 | 204 | 1,775 |
| 15 AUG 2026 | 207 | 1,771 |
| 08 AUG 2026 | 212 | 1,796 |
| 01 AUG 2026 | 200 | 1,781 |
| 25 JUL 2026 | 198 | 1,799 |