Unemployment benefit claims in the US Virgin Islands have climbed sharply when measured against the same period last year, according to federal employment figures released Friday.
During the week ending September 12, the territory saw 422 people continuing to draw jobless benefits. That compares with 332 a year earlier, a gap of 90 claims representing a 27.1 percent increase, the U.S. Employment and Training Administration reported.
The upward movement has accelerated in recent weeks. The four-week span from August 15 through September 12 saw continued claims grow from 334 to 422, an 88-claim jump of roughly 26.3 percent. The figures are not seasonally adjusted, meaning short-term swings can reflect ordinary seasonal shifts rather than underlying labor market weakness.
The insured unemployment rate, which tracks the portion of covered workers receiving continuing benefits, reached 1.24 percent for the week ending September 12, up from 1.22 percent the week before and 0.93 percent a year earlier.
However, a different measure paints a contrasting picture. Initial claims, which capture people newly filing for jobless benefits, totalled 57 for the week ending September 19, down from 70 during the same week in 2025. That represents an 18.6 percent decline year-over-year.
Federal officials have not identified the cause of the continuing-claims increase. The data cannot show whether recipients are remaining out of work longer, whether seasonal hiring patterns are playing a role, or whether other factors are at work.
The claims picture sits alongside other mixed employment signals for the territory. Total nonfarm employment reached 32,400 jobs in August, up from 31,800 in July but down 3.6 percent from August 2025. Leisure and hospitality employment fell to 5,300 jobs, a 19.7 percent year-over-year decline.
The next weekly update arrives October 2.
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