Weekly Jobless Claims Fall to 202,000, Lowest Level in Six Weeks
Initial unemployment claims dropped 9,000 to 202,000 for the week ending March 28, continuing to signal a resilient labor market despite broader economic uncertainty.
Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 202,000 for the week ending March 28, 2026, down 9,000 from the prior week's revised level of 211,000, according to the Department of Labor.
The decline brings claims to their lowest level in six weeks and keeps them well below the 250,000 threshold that economists generally associate with a healthy labor market.
Weekly Initial Claims
| Week Ending | Claims | Change |
|---|---|---|
| March 28 | 202,000 | -9,000 |
| March 21 | 211,000 | +6,000 |
| March 14 | 205,000 | -- |
Context
Weekly claims data remains one of the most timely indicators of labor market health. The current level of 202,000 is historically low -- before 2020, readings below 200,000 were considered exceptionally tight.
The claims data aligns with March's nonfarm payrolls report showing 178,000 jobs added and unemployment falling to 4.3% from 4.4% in February. Together, these indicators suggest the labor market continues to absorb workers despite the Federal Reserve maintaining restrictive interest rate policy at 3.64%.