The U.S. Department of Labor reported on Thursday, April 16, 2026, that initial jobless claims for the week ending April 11 remained at a seasonally adjusted 219,000. The figure came in higher than the consensus estimate of 216,000, matching the highest level of weekly filings recorded since early March.
The previous week’s figure for the period ending April 4 was revised. While initially reported at 219,000, the Department of Labor’s updated data adjusted the prior week’s total to 215,000. This revision indicates a week-over-week increase of 4,000 in the most recent reporting period. Despite the recent uptick, the current volume of claims remains significantly lower than the historical averages observed during the second half of 2025.
On an unadjusted basis, the actual number of initial claims under state programs totaled 202,895 for the week ending April 11. This represented an increase of approximately 16,637, or 8.9 percent, from the previous week. Seasonal factors had anticipated a much smaller increase of roughly 1.0 percent for this specific period. In the comparable week in 2025, unadjusted initial claims stood at 216,534.
The four-week moving average, which is utilized by economists to smooth out weekly volatility and provide a clearer picture of labor market trends, rose to 209,500. This is an increase of 1,500 from the previous week’s revised average of 208,000.
Continuing claims, which track the number of individuals already receiving unemployment benefits, were reported at 1,794,000 for the week ending April 4. This figure, reported on a one-week lag, represents a decrease of 38,000 from the prior period and marks the lowest level for continuing claims in nearly two years. The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.3 percent.
The data release follows the March 2026 Employment Situation Report, which indicated that the U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs, significantly surpassing the market expectation of 65,000. The national unemployment rate fell to 4.3% in March, a decline from 4.4% in February.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer addressed the labor market's trajectory in a statement released alongside the figures. Chavez-DeRemer attributed the job growth to federal reindustrialization efforts, stating that the economic comeback is on full display one year after the date referred to by the administration as Liberation Day in April 2025.
In addition to the labor data, the Philadelphia Federal Reserve released its Manufacturing Index for April, which fell to 10.3 from 18.1 in March. The employment component of that survey was reported at 0.8. Industrial production for the period grew by 0.1%, slightly trailing the 0.2% growth seen in the previous month.
The Department of Labor’s weekly report is compiled from data provided by state unemployment insurance offices. The next release of initial jobless claims data is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 2026.