Unemployment benefit claims hit a 4 year low - | News for Yuma, Imperial Valley, El Centro, AZ & CA

YUMA, AZ - Unemployment benefit claims have fall to their lowest point in four years, that according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Last week 340,000 people made first time claims, the lowest since before the financial crisis started back in 2008.

The number is down from 361,000 the previous week.

The Labor Department reports more than 240,000 jobs were added, the most in nine months.

The national unemployment rate is now at 8.3 percent.

Locally, the Labor Department reports 26 percent of the working force in Imperial County was unemployed as of December 2011.

The rate was 23 percent in Yuma.