WASHINGTON: More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, but applications stayed near historically low levels in a positive sign for the job market. Weekly applications for jobless aid rose 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 285,000, the Labour Department said on Thursday. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased slightly to 284,750. The number of people collecting aid has dropped 5.5 per cent in the past year to 2.3 million. Jobless claims at these levels suggest that employers are still eager to hire. Applications for unemployment benefits are a proxy for layoffs. The number of people seeking benefits has stayed below the crucial threshold of 300,000 for the past 11 months.