Weekly labor market measure shows increase of 16,000 jobless claims WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Labor Department said first-time jobless benefits claims rose 16,000 to 357,000 in the week that ended last Saturday. Initial claims for unemployment benefits rose from a revised 341,000 from the previous week, which was originally reported at 336,000. The four-week rolling average for the week increased 2,250 to 343,000. The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 16 were in California, where claims increased by 3,007 and Virginia with 1,165 additional claims. The largest decreases were in Pennsylvania and New York with declines of 2,497 and 2,116, respectively.