Pennsylvania reported a notable increase in initial unemployment claims for the week ending June 14, according to newly released federal data.

The state saw 3,863 more new claims than the previous week, the largest increase in the country.

Despite the rise, Pennsylvania’s insured unemployment rate held steady at 1.6%, placing it in the top tier nationally, tied with New York, Oregon, Nevada, and Illinois. This rate reflects the percentage of the workforce receiving unemployment insurance benefits.

Nationally, initial jobless claims dropped by 10,000 to 236,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis, with the four-week moving average settling at 245,000.

However, the number of Americans continuing to receive benefits (insured unemployment) increased to 1.97 million, the highest since late 2021.

While Pennsylvania’s continued claims rose, they were in line with broader trends seen in several other Mid-Atlantic and Rust Belt states.

The data comes just ahead of the July 4th holiday, a time when seasonal employment typically spikes in sectors like tourism, food service, and construction. Raising questions about whether the uptick in Pennsylvania claims reflects longer-term economic issues or temporary market shifts.

The full report can be found here.