In numbers that lag by a week the federal figures, New Jersey seeks a surge in applications, while Pennsylvania sees a drop.
U.S. unemployment benefit applications rose 16,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 360,000.
Still, that level is consistent with steady hiring. Applications are usually volatile in early July as school shutdowns and brief closures of auto factories lead to temporary layoffs.
The Labor Department said today that the less volatile four-week average increased 6,000 to 351,750.
State level data for the week ended June 29, one week behind the national data, have a regional impact. New Jersey was at the top of states with the biggest increases, while Pennsylvania was on the list of states that saw a drop in applications.
• New Jersey: Up 6,068, due to layoffs in transportation and warehousing, hotels and restaurants, and educational services.
• Pennsylvania: Down 2,628, due to fewer layoffs in transportation, hotel and restaurants and construction.