Unemployment claims in Wisconsin declined last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Wisconsin dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 3,597 in the week ending March 7, down from 3,769 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 213,000 last week, down 1,000 claims from 214,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Missouri saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 162.6%. Vermont, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 60.1%.

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 .

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Wisconsin unemployment claims for week of March 7, 2026