News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-2092-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 3, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 323,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 331,000. The 4-week moving average was 350,500, a decrease of 17,000 from the previous week's revised average of 367,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Oct. 22, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 22 was 2,823,000, a decrease of 44,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,867,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,852,500, a decrease of 11,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,864,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 292,751 in the week ending Oct. 29, a decrease of 12,559 from the previous week. There were 305,546 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Oct. 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,402,344, a decrease of 34,987 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,371,518.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Oct. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,937 in the week ending Oct. 22, an increase of 419 from the prior week. There were 2,062 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 119 from the preceding week.

There were 17,318 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 15, an increase of 1,525 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,876, an increase of 1,593 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 15 were in Louisiana (10.7 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Mississippi (5.1), Alaska (3.8), Michigan (2.6), New Jersey (2.5), Pennsylvania (2.5), Oregon (2.4), Arkansas (2.3), California (2.1), and South Carolina (2.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 22 were in California (+9,175), North Carolina (+2,332), South Carolina (+1,756), New York (+1,669), and Illinois (+1,525), while the largest decreases were in Louisiana (-10,315), Texas (-4,080), Kentucky (-2,053), Michigan (-1,790), and Mississippi (-1,039).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 29 Oct. 22 Change Oct. 15 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 323,000 331,000 -8,000 357,000 335,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 292,751 305,310 -12,559 303,158 305,546
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 350,500 367,500 -17,000 376,750 338,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 22 Oct. 15 Change Oct. 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,823,000 2,867,000 -44,000 2,862,000 2,790,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,402,344 2,437,331 -34,987 2,343,807 2,371,518
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,852,500 2,864,250 -11,750 2,844,250 2,798,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.8% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 22
Oct. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,937 1,518 +419 1,612
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,062 1,943 +119 1,980
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 15
Oct. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,318 15,793 +1,525 19,101
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,876 27,283 +1,593 28,493
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 2
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 128,182,010 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/22/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
LA -10,315 Fewer Hurricane related claims.
TX -4,080 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries. 3,118 claims were Hurricane related.
KY -2,053 No comment.
MI -1,790 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
MS -1,039 Approximately 3,520 claims were Hurricane related.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IA +1,248 No comment.
IL +1,525 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY +1,669 Layoffs in the construction industry.
SC +1,756 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NC +2,332 Layoffs in the construction, trade, furniture, and manufacturing industries.
CA +9,175 Layoffs in the service industry, and agriculture.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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