News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-1506-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: 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: (202) 693-4676 October 20, 2011
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending October 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 403,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 409,000. The 4-week moving average was 403,000, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 409,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 8 was 3,719,000, an increase of 25,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,694,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,722,500, a decrease of 7,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,730,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 356,825 in the week ending October 15, a decrease of 47,229 from the previous week. There were 394,016 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending October 8, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,116,875, an increase of 2,431 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,715,967.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 1 was 6,697,346, a decrease of 124,239 from the previous week.

 

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Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending October 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 4,341 in the week ending October 8, an increase of 1,917 from the prior week. There were 3,399 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 651 from the preceding week.

There were 24,902 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 1, a decrease of 26 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,951, a decrease of 183 from the prior week.

States reported 2,967,054 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 1, a decrease of 48,981 from the prior week. There were 4,040,113 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending October 1 were in Puerto Rico (4.9), Alaska (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.5), New Jersey (3.4), Virgin Islands (3.4), California (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Oregon (3.2), Connecticut (3.1), Arkansas (2.9), and Illinois (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 8 were in California (+13,882), New York (+8,568), Texas (+4,644), Washington (+3,728), and Pennsylvania (+3,640) while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-1,536), North Carolina (-856), South Carolina (-818), and Virgin Islands (-33).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Oct. 15 Oct. 8 Change Oct. 1 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 403,000 409,000 -6,000 405,000 452,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 356,825 404,054 -47,229 332,394 394,016
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 403,000 409,250 -6,250 415,000 453,500
WEEK ENDING Advance Oct. 8 Oct. 1 Change Sept. 24 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,719,000 3,694,000 +25,000 3,725,000 4,419,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,116,875 3,114,444 +2,431 3,165,909 3,715,967
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,722,500 3,730,000 -7,500 3,745,250 4,435,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 3.0% 3.5%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 3.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 8
Oct. 1
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 4,341 2,424 +1,917 10,749
Newly Discharged Veterans 3,399 2,748 +651 3,155
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 1
Sept. 24
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,104,908 3,155,266 -50,358 3,692,139
Federal Employees (UCFE) 24,902 24,928 -26 32,170
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 38,951 39,134 -183 40,994
EUC 20083 2,967,054 3,016,035 -48,981 4,040,113
Extended Benefits4 517,755 537,165 -19,410 1,031,584
State Additional Benefits 5 4,628 4,693 -65 3,780
STC / Workshare 6 39,148 44,364 -5,216 56,611
TOTAL 6,697,346 6,821,585 -124,239 8,897,391
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 126,188,733 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/8/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WI -1,536 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KS +1,012 No comment.
NJ +1,014 Layoffs in the service, retail, and construction industries.
KY +1,071 No comment.
TN +1,093 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
CO +1,147 No comment.
MA +1,326 Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.
MI +1,475 No comment.
IL +1,479 Layoffs in the construction, service, and trade industries
AR +1,571 Layoffs in the healthcare industry.
AK +1,723 No comment.
AZ +1,785 No comment.
IN +1,813 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO +1,822 Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.
AL +1,941 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
OH +2,462 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
FL +2,507 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries.
GA +3,605 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
PA +3,640 Layoffs in the service, construction, retail, and educational services industries
WA +3,728 Layoffs in the construction, retail, and service industries.
TX +4,644 Layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and retail industries.
NY +8,568 Layoffs in the transportation, service and public administration industries.
CA +13,882 Layoffs in the service industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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