News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2268-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : November 4, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 332,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 351,000. The 4-week moving average was 342,000, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 343,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Oct. 23, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 23 was 2,800,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,820,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,804,000, a decrease of 14,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,818,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 305,451 in the week ending Oct. 30, a decrease of 13,134 from the previous week. There were 345,573 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Oct. 23, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,377,065, a decrease of 25,253 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,947,201.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Oct. 16.

831 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Oct. 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,610 in the week ending Oct. 23, an increase of 178 from the prior week. There were 1,970 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 137 from the preceding week.

There were 19,089 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 16, an increase of 2,537 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,487, an increase of 1,359 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 16 were in Puerto Rico (5.0 percent), Alaska (4.3), Pennsylvania (2.7), New Jersey (2.6), Oregon (2.6), Michigan (2.5), California (2.4), Arkansas (2.3), Massachusetts (2.3), Connecticut (2.2), Illinois (2.2), and Washington (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 23 were in California (+11,561), Missouri (+4,285), Illinois (+3,090), Michigan (+2,877), and North Carolina (+2,111), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-1,555), Texas (-995), Arkansas (-821), Alabama (-415), and Kansas (-281).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 30 Oct. 23 Change Oct. 16 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 332,000 351,000 -19,000 330,000 365,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 305,451 318,585 -13,134 279,846 345,573
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 342,000 343,500 -1,500 348,750 382,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 23 Oct. 16 Change Oct. 9 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,800,000 2,820,000 -20,000 2,790,000 3,459,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,377,065 2,402,318 -25,253 2,293,444 2,947,201
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,804,000 2,818,250 -14,250 2,829,500 3,505,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.8% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 23
Oct. 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,610 1,432 +178 1,759
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,970 1,833 +137 1,732
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 16
Oct. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 19,089 16,552 +2,537 20,690
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,487 27,128 +1,359 22,999
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 2 0 +2 32,799
Federal (TEUC) 831 832 -1 825,816
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 126,276,799 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/23/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL -1,555 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MA +1,144 Layoffs in the service, finance, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
NJ +1,478 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA +1,571 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NY +1,574 No comment.
OH +1,706 No comment.
VA +2,096 No comment.
NC +2,111 Layoffs in the textile, furniture, primary metals, construction, and trade industries.
MI +2,877 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
IL +3,090 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MO +4,285 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
CA +11,561 Layoffs in the construction and service industries, and agriculture.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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