News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-552
   
   
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 October 16, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Oct. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 384,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 390,750, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 395,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Oct. 4, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 4 was 3,674,000, an increase of 58,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,616,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,633,750, an increase of 6,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,627,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 362,998 in the week ending Oct. 11, an increase of 25,191 from the previous week. There were 385,689 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Oct. 4, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,983,222, an increase of 21,756 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,974,814.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Sept. 27.

53 states reported that 820,505 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Sept. 27.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,704 in the week ending Oct. 4, an increase of 258 from the prior week. There were 2,054 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 288 from the preceding week.

There were 18,599 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 27, a decrease of 1,511 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,597, a decrease of 93 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 27 were in Puerto Rico (4.4 percent), Alaska (3.9), Oregon (3.5), California (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.2), Washington (3.2), New Jersey (2.9), Connecticut (2.8), Massachusetts (2.8), and Michigan (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 4 were in California (+11,470), Illinois (+3,773), Arkansas (+3,147), Pennsylvania (+2,211), and Texas (+1,621), while the largest decreases were in Virginia (-1,291), Iowa (-893), South Carolina (-837), North Carolina (-804), and Vermont
(-743).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 11  Oct. 4 Change Sept. 27  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 384,000 388,000 -4,000 405,000 413,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 362,998 337,807 +25,191 304,736 385,689
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 390,750 395,000 -4,250 405,000 413,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 4 Sept. 27  Change Sept. 20 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,674,000 3,616,000 +58,000 3,646,000 3,673,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,983,222 2,961,466 +21,756 3,001,023 2,974,814
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,633,750 3,627,250 +6,500 3,635,750 3,629,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.9% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.3% +0.1 2.4% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 4
Sept. 27
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,704 1,446 +258 2,183
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,054 1,766 +288 1,738
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 27
Sept. 20
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,599 20,110 -1,511 18,163
Newly Discharged Veterans 20,597 20,690 -93 17,167
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 34,026 41,076 -7,050 12,606
Federal (TEUC) 820,505 832,295 -11,790 915,449
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 126,428,924 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/04/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
VA -1,291 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
GA +1,033 Layoffs in the carpets/rugs industry.
KS +1,055 Layoffs in the trade, real estate, and manufacturing industries.
OR +1,313 No comment.
OH +1,336 No comment.
MA +1,462 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,552 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX +1,621 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
PA +2,211 Fewer layoffs in the furniture, fabricated metals, industrial machinery, chemical, and manufacturing industries.
AR +3,147 No comment.
IL +3,773 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA +11,470 Layoffs in the service industry, and agriculture.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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