News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 12-227-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 February 9, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending February 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 358,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 373,000. The 4-week moving average was 366,250, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised average of 377,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending January 28, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 28, was 3,515,000, an increase of 64,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,451,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,498,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,531,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 397,810 in the week ending February 4, a decrease of 24,477 from the previous week. There were 440,706 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending January 28, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,084,606, an increase of 26,370 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,605,543.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 21 was 7,663,205, an increase of 7,982 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, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, 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 January 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,696 in the week ending January 28, a decrease of 476 from the prior week. There were 2,843 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 395 from the preceding week.

There were 29,814 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending January 21, a decrease of 1,148 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,562, an increase of 66 from the prior week.

States reported 2,985,907 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending January 21, a decrease of 21,789 from the prior week. There were 3,756,990 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 21 were in Alaska (7.0), Oregon (4.9), Wisconsin (4.8), Montana (4.7), Idaho (4.6), Pennsylvania (4.5), Rhode Island (4.5), New Jersey (4.3), Connecticut (4.2), and Puerto Rico (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 28 were in California (+4,571), Washington (+2,795), Florida (+2,293), Texas (+1,485), and Oregon (+1,420), while the largest decreases were in Tennessee (-1,855), Connecticut (-1,523), Oklahoma (-1,353), Alabama (-1,297), and North Carolina (-1,221).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance February 4 January 28 Change January 21 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 358,000 373,000 -15,000 379,000 391,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 397,810 422,287 -24,477 416,880 440,706
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 366,250 377,250 -11,000 377,750 418,250
WEEK ENDING Advance January 28 January 21 Change January 14 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,515,000 3,451,000 +64,000 3,567,000 3,936,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,084,606 4,058,236 +26,370 4,069,651 4,605,543
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,498,000 3,531,000 -33,000 3,570,500 3,969,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.7% +0.1 2.8% 3.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.2% 3.2% 0.0 3.2% 3.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
January 28
January 21
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,696 2,172 -476 2,414
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,843 2,448 +395 2,577
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
January 21
January 14
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 4,049,316 4,060,581 -11,265 4,619,641
Federal Employees (UCFE) 29,814 30,962 -1,148 48,604
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,562 42,496 +66 41,904
EUC 20083 2,985,907 3,007,696 -21,789 3,756,990
Extended Benefits4 514,691 474,252 +40,439 834,569
State Additional Benefits 5 4,234 3,850 +384 7,282
STC / Workshare 6 36,681 35,386 +1,295 53,366
TOTAL 7,663,205 7,655,223 +7,982 9,362,356
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 126,579,970 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 paid, 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 01/28/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TN -1,855 No comment.
CT -1,523 No comment.
OK -1,353 No comment.
AL -1,297 Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation equipment manufacturing, and food manufacturing industries.
NC -1,221 Fewer layoffs in the construction, and motor freight transportation and warehousing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA +4,571 California returned back to a 5-day workweek. The largest change in layoffs occurred in the manufacturing industry.
WA +2,795 Layoffs in the manufacturing, finance and insurance, professional, scientific, technical service, and educational industries.
FL +2,293 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries.
TX +1,485 Layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and retail industries.
OR +1,420 No comment.
NY +1,383 Layoffs in the construction, manufacturing and educational industries.
GA +1,098 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,084 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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