News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-963-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EST), WEDNESDAY
(202) 693-4676 December 24, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 353,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 361,750, a decrease of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 362,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Dec. 13, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 13 was 3,269,000, a decrease of 38,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,307,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,307,750, a decrease of 17,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,325,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 423,782 in the week ending Dec. 20, an increase of 11,248 from the previous week. There were 483,449 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Dec. 13, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,423,053, an increase of 136,041 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,630,381.

 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Dec. 6.

53 states reported that 807,205 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Dec. 6.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,749 in the week ending Dec. 13, a decrease of 770 from the prior week. There were 1,758 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 617 from the preceding week.

There were 21,035 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 6, a decrease of 2,372 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,298, a decrease of 886 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 6 were in Alaska (5.6 percent), Puerto Rico (4.8), Washington (4.1), Oregon (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.8), Idaho (3.6), California (3.4), Michigan (3.4), West Virginia (3.4), New Jersey (3.2), and Wisconsin (3.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 13 were in Massachusetts (+2,179), Ohio (+2,142), Texas (+1,861), Kansas (+974), and Rhode Island (+587), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-14,077), North Carolina (-10,960), California (-9,644), New York (-9,583), and Georgia (-5,130).

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 20  Dec. 13 Change Dec. 6  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 353,000 354,000 -1,000 375,000 392,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 423,782 412,534 +11,248 486,268 483,449
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 361,750 362,000 -250 364,000 406,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 13 Dec. 6  Change Nov. 29 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,269,000 3,307,000 -38,000 3,315,000 3,487,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,423,053 3,287,012 +136,041 3,397,952 3,630,381
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,307,750 3,325,250 -17,500 3,367,250 3,479,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.6% +0.1 2.7% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 13
Dec. 6
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,749 2,519 -770 1,490
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,758 2,375 -617 1,414
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 6
Nov. 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 21,035 23,407 -2,372 20,898
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,298 25,184 -886 19,979
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 6,000
Extended Benefits 32,184 29,640 +2,544 15,945
Federal (TEUC) 807,205 807,763 -558 777,230
FOOTNOTES
SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data
NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.
2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 126,428,924 as denominator.

 

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/13/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA -14,077 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, wood products, rubber/plastics, construction, trade, service, textile, and furniture industries.
NC -10,960 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, furniture, trade, service, and industrial machinery industries.
CA -9,644 Fewer layoffs in the service industry, and agriculture.
NY -9,583 No comment.
GA -5,130 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
SC -4,849 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
TN -3,322 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, apparel, printing/publishing, and electronic equipment industries.
WA -3,125 No comment.
AL -2,968 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
WI -2,917 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MS -2,229 No comment.
MI -2,003 No comment.
MN -1,706 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
IN -1,299 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
ID -1,203 No comment.
AR -1,174 No comment.
OR -1,135 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
TX +1,861 Layoffs in the information, recreation, and manufacturing industries.
OH +2,142 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MA +2,179 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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