News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-628-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 October 30, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Oct. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 391,000. The 4-week moving average was 388,750, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 393,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending Oct. 18, 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. 18 was 3,566,000, an increase of 57,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,509,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,578,250, a decrease of 20,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,598,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 347,827 in the week ending Oct. 25, an increase of 19,766 from the previous week. There were 375,591 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Oct. 18, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,013,411, an increase of 118,807 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,021,815.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Oct. 11.

53 states reported that 812,698 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Oct. 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,343 in the week ending Oct. 18, a decrease of 812 from the prior week. There were 1,540 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 696 from the preceding week.

There were 18,749 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 11, a decrease of 1,503 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,368, an increase of 385 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 11 were in Alaska (3.9 percent), Oregon (3.5), Puerto Rico (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.2), Washington (3.2), California (3.0), New Jersey (2.9), Arkansas (2.7), Connecticut (2.7), Massachusetts (2.7), and Michigan (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 18 were in Michigan (+6,800), Washington (+444), and New Hampshire (+108), while the largest decreases were in California (-3,732), North Carolina (-3,378), Pennsylvania (-3,273), New York (-2,881), and Illinois (-2,868).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 25  Oct. 18 Change Oct. 11  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 386,000 391,000 -5,000 390,000 416,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 347,827 328,061 +19,766 368,584 375,591
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 388,750 393,500 -4,750 392,250 413,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 18 Oct. 11  Change Oct. 4 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,566,000 3,509,000 +57,000 3,625,000 3,580,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,013,411 2,894,604 +118,807 2,943,805 3,021,815
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,578,250 3,598,250 -20,000 3,620,750 3,610,000
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. 18
Oct. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,343 2,155 -812 1,161
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,540 2,236 -696 1,383
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 11
Oct. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,749 20,252 -1,503 18,746
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,368 20,983 +385 17,932
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 32,379 34,103 -1,724 11,470
Federal (TEUC) 812,698 842,594 -29,896 858,396
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 10/18/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -3,732 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and food industries.
NC -3,378 Fewer layoffs in the food, apparel, electronic equipment, transportation equipment, textile, and rubber/plastics industries.
PA -3,273 Fewer layoffs in the information, public administration, trade, service, transportation, and electrical equipment industries.
NY -2,881 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
IL -2,868 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX -2,415 Fewer layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
MO -2,359 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
VA -2,357 No comment.
KS -2,144 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL -1,814 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
MN -1,767 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN -1,439 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, electronic equipment, fabricated metals, and service industries.
NJ -1,433 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
OH -1,428 No comment.
IN -1,122 No comment.
MD -1,087 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
MI +6,800 Mainly short -term layoffs in the automobile industry (5,751).


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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