| EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION | USDL 02-692 |
| 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) 693-4676 | December 19, 2002 |
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATAIn the week ending Dec. 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 433,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 444,000. The 4-week moving average was 400,750, an increase of 12,750 from the previous week's revised average of 388,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Dec. 7, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 7 was 3,497,000, an increase of 229,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,268,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,458,500, a decrease of 16,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,475,000.
UNADJUSTED DATAThe advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 481,096 in the week ending Dec. 14, a decrease of 66,122 from the previous week. There were 440,822 initial claims in the comparable week in 2001.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending Dec. 7, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,560,125, a decrease of 63,977 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9 percent and the volume was 3,664,697.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Nov. 30 .
53 states reported that 787,977 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 30.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,221 in the week ending Dec. 7, an increase of 789 from the prior week. There were 1,570 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 720 from the preceding week.
There were 23,228 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 30, an increase of 4,606 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,688, an increase of 2,660 from the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 30 were in Alaska (5.9 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Oregon (4.7), Washington (4.5), Arkansas (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.9), Idaho (3.8), Wisconsin (3.8), California (3.7), and the Virgin Islands (3.5).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 7 were in California (+20,379), Pennsylvania (+17,541), Georgia (+14,421), North Carolina (+13,465), and Michigan (+12,241), while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-10,443), Texas (-3,292), Kentucky (-936), Idaho (-674), and Vermont (-662).
| Advance | Prior1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ENDING | Dec. 14 | Dec 7 | Change | Nov. 30 | Year |
| Initial Claims (SA) | 433,000 | 444,000 | -11,000 | 358,000 | 395,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Claims (NSA) | 481,096 | 547,218 | -66,122 | 385,788 | 440,822 |
| 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 400,750 | 388,000 | +12,750 | 377,250 | 427,250 |
| Advance | Prior1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ENDING | Dec. 7 | Nov. 30 | Change | Nov. 23 | Year |
| Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,497,000 | 3,268,000 | +229,000 | 3,459,000 | 3,572,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,560,125 | 3,624,102 | -63,977 | 3,106,044 | 3,664,697 |
| 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,458,500 | 3,475,000 | -16,500 | 3,569,000 | 3,572,500 |
| Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.7% | 2.6% | +0.1 | 2.7% | 2.8% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 2.8% | 2.8% | 0.0 | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Prior1 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ENDING | Dec. 7 |
Nov. 30 |
Change |
Year |
| Federal Employees | 2,221 | 1,432 | +789 | 1,972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly Discharged Veterans | 1,570 | 850 | +720 | 1,276 |
| Prior1 |
||||
| WEEK ENDING | Nov. 30 |
Nov. 23 |
Change |
Year |
| Federal Employees | 23,228 | 18,622 | +4,606 | 20,208 |
| Newly Discharged Veterans | 20,688 | 18,028 | +2,660 | 16,479 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | 4,000 | 4,000 | 0 | 5,000 |
| Extended Benefits | 14,881 | 14,897 | -16 | 11 |
| Federal (TEUC) | 787,977 | 732,457 | +55,520 | 0 |
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/07/2002
| State | Change | State Supplied Comment | |
| WI | -10,443 | Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| TX | -3,292 | Fewer layoffs in the insurance, utilities, and manufacturing industries. |
| NV | +1,097 | No comment. | |
| HI | +1,186 | No comment. | |
| AZ | +1,507 | No comment. | |
| WV | +1,833 | Layoffs in the utilities, mining, information, real estate, trade, transportation, finance, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. | |
| IN | +2,104 | Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. | |
| NJ | +2,205 | Return to a five day workweek. | |
| MA | +2,539 | No comment. | |
| CT | +2,643 | No comment. | |
| MS | +3,529 | Layoffs in the rubber/plastics, lumber/wood, apparel, furniture, industrial machinery, and electrical equipment industries. | |
| MN | +3,644 | Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| MO | +4,354 | Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries. | |
| WA | +4,807 | No comment. | |
| FL | +4,923 | Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. | |
| VA | +6,321 | Layoffs in the textile, furniture, fabricated metals, and transportation equipment industries. | |
| TN | +6,580 | Layoffs in the printing/publishing, rubber/plastics, transportation equipment, construction, and service industries. | |
| AL | +6,864 | Layoffs in the textile, construction, and service industries. | |
| OH | +7,047 | No comment. | |
| IL | +9,034 | Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| SC | +10,914 | Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. | |
| NY | +11,352 | Return to a five day workweek. | |
| MI | +12,241 | No comment. | |
| NC | +13,465 | Layoffs in the textile, apparel, furniture, electrical equipment, lumber/wood, and industrial machinery industries. | |
| GA | +14,421 | Layoffs in the textile and carpets/rugs industries. | |
| PA | +17,541 | Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, rubber/plastics, lumber/wood, stone/clay/glass, and electrical equipment industries. | |
| CA | +20,379 | Layoffs in the construction and service industries. |