News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-115-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 February 5, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Jan. 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 356,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 339,000. The 4-week moving average was 345,250, unchanged from the previous week's revised average of 345,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending Jan. 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 24 was 3,123,000, unchanged from the preceding week's revised level of 3,123,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,123,000, a decrease of 38,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,161,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 404,903 in the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 21,980 from the previous week. There were 449,286 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending Jan. 24, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,794,938, a decrease of 8,673 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,149,699.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska and Michigan during the week ending Jan. 17.

53 states reported that 619,526 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Jan. 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,402 in the week ending Jan. 24, a decrease of 659 from the prior week. There were 1,818 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 442 from the preceding week.

There were 22,316 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 17, a decrease of 3,102 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,716, a decrease of 625 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 17 were in Alaska (7.0 percent), Michigan (4.9), Oregon (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.7), Idaho (4.6), Washington (4.3), Wisconsin (4.3), Montana (4.2), Massachusetts (4.1), New Jersey (4.0), and Puerto Rico (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 24 were in Alaska (+1,469), and Wisconsin (+1,197), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-9,261), Tennessee (-8,744), California (-8,463), Georgia (-6,836), and Ohio (-6,658).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 31  Jan. 24 Change Jan. 17  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 356,000 339,000 +17,000 343,000 398,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 404,903 382,923 +21,980 490,766 449,286
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 345,250 345,250 0 345,250 386,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 24 Jan. 17  Change Jan. 10 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,123,000 3,123,000 0 3,119,000 3,435,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,794,938 3,803,611 -8,673 3,851,459 4,149,699
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,123,000 3,161,750 -38,750 3,204,500 3,375,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 3.1% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 24
Jan. 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,402 2,061 -659 1,326
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,818 2,260 -442 1,285
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 17
Jan. 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 22,316 25,418 -3,102 21,159
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,716 28,341 -625 20,573
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 8,000
Extended Benefits 16,042 27,495 -11,453 17,379
Federal (TEUC) 619,526 695,525 -75,999 722,376
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 126,250,343 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/24/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -9,261 Fewer layoffs in the construction, textile, furniture, electronic equipment, and primary metals industries.
TN -8,744 Fewer layoffs in the trade, fabricated metals, lumber/wood, and furniture industries.
CA -8,463 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
GA -6,836 Fewer layoffs in the textile and mobile homes industries.
OH -6,658 No comment.
MI -5,336 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
OR -5,126 No comment.
PA -4,398 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and food industries.
WA -4,167 No comment.
MO -3,926 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
FL -3,723 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
AL -3,578 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and apparel industries.
NY -3,442 No comment.
TX -3,388 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
MA -3,273 No comment.
CT -3,141 No comment.
NJ -3,042 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -2,799 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL -2,533 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
VA -1,653 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IN -1,420 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NV -1,213 No comment.
WV -1,127 No comment.
CO -1,064 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WI +1,197 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
AK +1,469 No comment.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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