Initial filings for unemployment benefits in North Carolina 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 3,297 in the week ending August 2, up from 3,259 the week before, the Labor Department said.

Maine saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 43.6%. Vermont, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 47.9%.

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 .

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