Weekly Jobless Claims Rise, But Backlog Distorts Data

By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits rose last week, but it was difficult to get a clear read on the labor market's health because two states appeared to be working through a backlog of unprocessed claims.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 309,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.