CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada officials say initial claims for unemployment insurance climbed in December in line with a seasonal trend, but were about half what they were at their peak six years ago.
Officials with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said more than 18,000 claims were filed in December. That's up from about 16,000 claims in November, and up 1 percent from the same time a year ago.
State economist Bill Anderson says the increase comes as the overall employment base grows, and says he expects claims to rise over the next year.
State officials say initial claims tend to rise in the fall and drop off around February.
Initial claims are most closely aligned with how many people recently lost their jobs, as opposed to the overall unemployment rate.
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