News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-811-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 December 4, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Nov. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 365,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 362,500, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 359,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 22 was 3,385,000, an increase of 44,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,341,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,419,250, a decrease of 22,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,441,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 357,230 in the week ending Nov. 29, a decrease of 40,641 from the previous week. There were 385,788 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Nov. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,985,168, a decrease of 149,138 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,106,044.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Nov. 15.

53 states reported that 811,980 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,285 in the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 309 from the prior week. There were 1,676 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 142 from the preceding week.

There were 22,123 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 15, an increase of 3,621 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,308, an increase of 1,213 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 15 were in Alaska (5.7 percent), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (3.8), Washington (3.7), California (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.4), Michigan (3.1), New Jersey (3.1), Arkansas (3.0), Massachusetts (2.9), and Montana (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 22 were in California (+7,040), Michigan (+5,345), Missouri (+4,880), Illinois (+4,011), and Kentucky (+3,723), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-1,919), New Jersey (-1,206), Texas (-209), South Dakota (-33), and Nebraska (-10).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 29  Nov. 22 Change Nov. 15  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 365,000 354,000 +11,000 362,000 385,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 357,230 397,871 -40,641 347,282 385,788
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 362,500 359,500 +3,000 368,750 389,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 22 Nov. 15  Change Nov. 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,385,000 3,341,000 +44,000 3,475,000 3,482,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,985,168 3,134,306 -149,138 2,991,723 3,106,044
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,419,250 3,441,750 -22,500 3,491,000 3,526,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.6% +0.1 2.7% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.5% -0.1 2.4% 2.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 22
Nov. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,285 1,976 +309 2,197
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,676 1,534 +142 1,440
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 15
Nov. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 22,123 18,502 +3,621 21,246
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,308 23,095 +1,213 19,592
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 29,030 29,711 -681 12,710
Federal (TEUC) 811,980 806,109 +5,871 783,768
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 11/22/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA -1,919 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ -1,206 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
OH +1,211 No comment.
SC +1,499 Layoffs in the textile industry.
VA +1,831 No comment.
AL +1,838 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR +1,843 No comment.
PA +1,921 Layoffs in the textile and public administration industries.
NY +2,095 No comment.
FL +2,134 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, an manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
AR +2,314 No comment.
WA +2,422 No comment.
KY +3,723 No comment.
IL +4,011 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MO +4,880 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
MI +5,345 Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
CA +7,040 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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