That might have contributed to the fall in initial unemployment claims too, although economists reckon that seasonal upheavals in working patterns make figures at this time of the year especially hard to assess.
The holidays are around the corner, and with unemployment at 9 percent, hopes are high that the seasonal jobs usually created this time of the year will offer opportunity to those still out of work.
Alaska's unemployment rate is high, in large part due to significantly higher seasonal employment than any other state, according to Dan Robinson, an economist with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose to the highest level since late November last week, although the increase partly reflects seasonal distortions around the spring holidays.