EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 02-681
   
   
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 December 12, 2002
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 441,000, an increase of 83,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 358,000. The 4-week moving average was 387,250, an increase of  10,000 from the previous week's revised average of 377,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Nov. 30, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 30  was 3,284,000, a decrease of 165,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,449,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,476,500, a decrease of 90,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,566,500.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 543,187 in the week ending Dec. 7, an increase of 157,655 from the previous week. There were 491,826 initial claims in the comparable week in 2001.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending Nov. 30, an increase of 0.5 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,642,416, an increase of 544,820 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,626,615.  

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Nov. 23 .

53 states reported that 732,457 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 23.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,432 in the week ending Nov. 30, a decrease of 765 from the prior week. There were 847 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 593 from the preceding week.

There were 18,606 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 23, a decrease of 2,640 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 17,952, a decrease of 1,640 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 23 were in Puerto Rico (5.4 percent), Alaska (5.1), Washington (4.0), Oregon (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.4), Arkansas (3.3), California (3.2), Idaho (3.1), Massachusetts (3.0), and New Jersey (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 30 were in Wisconsin (+15,719), Arkansas (+3,275), Iowa (+2,757), Idaho (+1,433), and Kansas (+1,390), while the largest decreases were in California (-28,805), Michigan (-10,535), North Carolina (-6,125), Florida (-3,597), and Georgia (-3,552).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 7 Nov. 30 Change Nov. 23  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 441,000 358,000 +83,000 368,000 411,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 543,187 385,532 +157,655 436,549 491,826
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 387,250 377,250 +10,000 387,000 434,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 30 Nov. 23  Change Nov. 16 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,284,000 3,449,000 -165,000 3,610,000 3,656,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,642,416 3,097,596 +544,820 3,263,052 3,626,615
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,476,500 3,566,500 -90,000 3,593,500 3,593,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.7% -0.1 2.8% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.9% 2.4% +0.5 2.6% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Nov. 30 

Nov. 23 

Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,432 2,197 -765 1,735
Newly Discharged Veterans 847 1,440 -593 1,348
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Nov. 23 

Nov. 16 

Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,606 21,246 -2,640 18,130
Newly Discharged Veterans 17,952 19,592 -1,640 16,861
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 14,897 12,710 +2,187 30
Federal (TEUC) 732,457 783,768 -51,311 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 11/30/2002

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -28,805 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
MI -10,535 Decrease due partly to a shorter workweek.
NC -6,125 Fewer layoffs in the construction and textile industries.
FL -3,597 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
GA -3,552 Fewer layoffs in the rubber/plastics and service industries.
WA -3,102 No comment. 
SC -2,951 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
VA -2,293 Fewer layoffs in the fabricated metals, textile, and furniture industries.
AL -2,109 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment and manufacturing industries.
KY -2,013 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals and service industries.
TN -2,011 Fewer layoffs in the lumber/wood, industrial machinery, transportation equipment, construction, and service industries.
NJ -1,922 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
IL -1,806 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY -1,772 No comment.
PA -1,723 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, printing/publishing, service, and transportation equipment industries.
AZ -1,468 No comment.
MS -1,384 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
IN +1,010 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
MA +1,374 No comment.
KS +1,390 Layoffs in the information and manufacturing industries.
ID +1,433 No comment.
IA +2,757 No comment.
AR +3,275 Layoffs in the transportation equipment and fabricated metals industries.
WI +15,719 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, communications, public utilities, and manufacturing industries. 

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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