EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 02-614
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-3900 October 31, 2002
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Oct. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 410,000, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 394,000. The 4-week moving average was 401,750, a decrease of  3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 405,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending Oct. 19, 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. 19 was 3,620,000, an increase of 76,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,544,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,616,750, a decrease of 7,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,624,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 376,366 in the week ending Oct. 26, an increase of 26,568 from the previous week. There were 436,902 initial claims in the comparable week in 2001.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Oct. 19, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,055,601, an increase of 85,870 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,030,300.  

Extended benefits were available in North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Oct. 12.

53 states reported that 812,401 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Oct. 12.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,159 in the week ending Oct. 19, a decrease of 735 from the prior week. There were 1,373 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 348 from the preceding week.

There were 18,786 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 12, a decrease of 481 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 17,977, an increase of 566 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 12 were in Puerto Rico (4.9 percent), Alaska (3.9), Oregon (3.6), Washington (3.4), California (3.2), the Virgin Islands (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.1), New Jersey (3.0), Arkansas (2.8), and Massachusetts (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 19 were in Tennessee (+2,057), Iowa (+1,207), Pennsylvania (+410), Mississippi (+193), and Minnesota (+93), while the largest decreases were in Missouri (-4,270), Illinois (-3,103), New York (-2,879), North Carolina (-2,476), and Michigan (-2,381).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 26  Oct. 19 Change Oct. 12  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 410,000 394,000 +16,000 414,000 476,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 376,366 349,798 +26,568 385,728 436,902
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 401,750 405,250 -3,500 409,500 469,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 19 Oct. 12  Change Oct. 5 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,620,000 3,544,000 +76,000 3,691,000 3,599,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,055,601 2,969,731 +85,870 2,974,814 3,030,300
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,616,750 3,624,000 -7,250 3,650,000 3,501,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.9% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.3% +0.1 2.3% 2.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Oct. 19 

Oct. 12 

Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,159 1,894 -735 1,460
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,373 1,721 -348 1,272
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Oct. 12  

Oct. 5 

Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,786 19,267 -481 15,956
Newly Discharged Veterans 17,977 17,411 +566 15,717
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 11,470 12,814 -1,344 0
Federal (TEUC) 812,401 858,396 -45,995 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 127,388,117 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/19/2002

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO -4,270 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
IL -3,103 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. 
NY -2,879 No comment.
NC -2,476 Fewer layoffs in the textile and lumber/wood industries.
MI -2,381 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery and computer equipment industries.
GA -2,233 Fewer layoffs in the textile and service industries.
NJ -1,994 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, communications, public utilities, and manufacturing industries.
OH -1,920 No comment.
VA -1,871 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
WA -1,669 No comment.
SC -1,266 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CA -1,260 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
IA +1,207 No comment.
TN +2,057 Layoffs in the rubber/plastics, industrial machinery, apparel, fabricated metals, and electronic equipment industries.


UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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