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 3,749 in the week ending December 6, up from 2,092 the week before, the Labor Department said.

Georgia saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 207.9%. Rhode Island, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 13.1%.

USA TODAY Co. 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 .

See Full Page