News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-1533-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : October 30, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 479,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised figure of 479,000. The 4-week moving average was 475,500, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average of 480,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending Oct. 18, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 18 was 3,715,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,727,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,709,500, an increase of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,681,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 443,728 in the week ending Oct. 25, an increase of 27,617 from the previous week. There were 303,357 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Oct. 18, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,228,606, an increase of 94,217 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.7 percent and the volume was 2,241,942.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, North Carolina, and Rhode Island during the week ending Oct 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,363 in the week ending Oct. 18, a decrease of 290 from the prior week. There were 1,512 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 389 from the preceding week.

There were 14,006 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 11, an increase of 471 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,890, an increase of 543 from the prior week.

States reported 978,142 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Oct. 11, a decrease of 117,036 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 11 were in Puerto Rico (5.2 percent), Michigan (3.5), Nevada (3.4), Oregon (3.4), California (3.1), New Jersey (3.1), South Carolina (3.1), Arkansas (3.0), Pennsylvania (3.0), and North Carolina (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 18 were in Tennessee (+1,956), Oregon (+1,802), Indiana (+1,297), Virginia (+898), and Florida (+543), while the largest decreases were in New York (-6,080), Michigan (-5,894), Illinois (-3,795), Ohio (-2,923), and Kentucky (-2,494).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 25 Oct. 18 Change Oct. 11 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 479,000 479,000 0 463,000 332,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 443,728 416,111 +27,617 454,065 303,357
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 475,500 480,500 -5,000 484,750 329,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 18 Oct. 11 Change Oct. 4 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,715,000 3,727,000 -12,000 3,725,000 2,598,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,228,606 3,134,389 +94,217 3,073,515 2,241,942
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,709,500 3,681,500 +28,000 3,635,500 2,559,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.8% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.4% 2.3% +0.1 2.3% 1.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 18
Oct. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,363 1,653 -290 1,494
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,512 1,901 -389 1,822
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 11
Oct. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,006 13,535 +471 15,833
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,890 22,347 +543 22,954
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 1,099 1,236 -137 0
EUC 2008 978,142 1,095,178 -117,036 0
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 133,902,387 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/18/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -6,080 Fewer layoffs in the public administration, transportation, and service industries.
MI -5,894 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
IL -3,795 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH -2,923 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
KY -2,494 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
PA -2,327 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, fabricated metals, chemical, and rubber/plastics industries.
GA -1,892 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
MO -1,868 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
SC -1,745 Fewer layoffs in the textile and industrial machinery industries.
NJ -1,657 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NC -1,562 Fewer layoffs in the leather goods, transportation equipment, furniture, electronic equipment, and electrical equipment industries.
PR -1,403 No comment.
MA -1,091 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, information, service, and manufacturing industries.
AZ -1,040 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IN +1,297 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
OR +1,802 No comment.
TN +1,956 Layoffs in the rubber/plastics, industrial machinery, transportation equipment, chemical, and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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