News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-149-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 : February 2, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Jan. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 273,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 284,000. The 4-week moving average was 284,250, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 289,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Jan. 21, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 21 was 2,509,000, a decrease of 64,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,573,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,575,500, a decrease of 45,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,621,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 318,337 in the week ending Jan. 28, a decrease of 19 from the previous week. There were 364,704 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Jan. 21, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,066,329, an increase of 21,988 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,263,705.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Jan. 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,239 in the week ending Jan. 21, a decrease of 732 from the prior week. There were 2,369 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 476 from the preceding week.

There were 20,373 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 14, a decrease of 2,489 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,254, a decrease of 465 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 14 were in Alaska (6.0 percent), Michigan (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.1), Mississippi (3.5), Wisconsin (3.5), New Jersey (3.3), Oregon (3.3), Idaho (3.2), Louisiana (3.2), Massachusetts (3.2), and Rhode Island (3.2).

There were no increases in initial claims in the week ending Jan. 21. The largest decreases were in Tennessee (-11,338), North Carolina (-9,017), Michigan (-9,007), New York (-7,596), and Pennsylvania (-7,249).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 28 Jan. 21 Change Jan. 14 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 273,000 284,000 -11,000 272,000 323,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 318,337 318,356 -19 439,873 364,704
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 284,250 289,000 -4,750 299,500 330,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 21 Jan. 14 Change Jan. 7 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,509,000 2,573,000 -64,000 2,528,000 2,704,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,066,329 3,044,341 +21,988 3,162,229 3,263,705
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,575,500 2,621,000 -45,500 2,654,000 2,713,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 2.0% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.4% 0.0 2.5% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 21
Jan. 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,239 1,971 -732 1,228
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,369 2,845 -476 1,826
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 14
Jan. 7
Change
Year
Federal Employees 20,373 22,862 -2,489 21,208
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,254 29,719 -465 27,280
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 3,945 4,380 -435 1
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 128,767,336 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/21/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TN -11,338 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
NC -9,017 Fewer layoffs in the construction, textile, furniture, transportation equipment, tobacco, and stone/clay/glass industries.
MI -9,007 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NY -7,596 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and transportation industries.
PA -7,249 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
IL -6,701 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
OH -6,379 No comment.
CA -5,642 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
MO -5,139 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
GA -5,128 Fewer layoffs in the textile and carpets/rugs industries.
AL -4,364 Fewer layoffs in the apparel industry.
NJ -4,259 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -3,752 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
VA -2,914 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IN -2,651 No comment.
FL -2,547 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
CT -2,467 No comment.
WA -1,777 No comment.
OR -1,687 No comment.
MA -1,685 No comment.
LA -1,596 No comment.
RI -1,579 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
TX -1,474 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MN -1,224 No comment.
AR -1,014 No comment.
WI -1,013 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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