News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-1,005-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EST), WEDNESDAY
(202) 693-4676 December 31, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,750, a decrease of 6,500 from the previous week's revised average of 362,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Dec. 20, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 20 was 3,315,000, an increase of 81,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,234,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,293,000, a decrease of 6,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,299,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 516,501 in the week ending Dec. 27, an increase of 91,785 from the previous week. There were 620,929 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending Dec. 20, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,268,127, a decrease of 117,479 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,428,329.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Dec. 13.

53 states reported that 817,072 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Dec. 13.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,109 in the week ending Dec. 20, an increase of 358 from the prior week. There were 1,591 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 171 from the preceding week.

There were 24,185 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 13, an increase of 3,191 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,861, an increase of 1,554 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 13 were in Alaska (6.4 percent), Puerto Rico (5.3), Oregon (4.0), Washington (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.8), Michigan (3.7), Idaho (3.6), California (3.5), Montana (3.4), and Wisconsin (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 20 were in Kentucky (+7,811), Indiana (+7,264), Texas (+2,742), Missouri (+2,651), and Michigan (+2,382), while the largest decreases were in California (-3,158), Georgia (-2,945), Massachusetts (-2,173), South Carolina (-1,709), and New Jersey (-1,697).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 27  Dec. 20 Change Dec.13  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 339,000 354,000 -15,000 355,000 400,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 516,501 424,716 +91,785 412,691 620,929
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 355,750 362,250 -6,500 362,250 410,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 20 Dec.13  Change Dec. 6 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,315,000 3,234,000 +81,000 3,308,000 3,466,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,268,127 3,385,606 -117,479 3,287,681 3,428,329
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,293,000 3,299,250 -6,250 3,325,500 3,475,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.6% 2.7% -0.1 2.6% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 20
Dec. 13
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,109 1,751 +358 1,861
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,591 1,762 -171 1,355
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 13
Dec. 6
Change
Year
Federal Employees 24,185 20,994 +3,191 23,128
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,861 24,307 +1,554 20,906
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 29,586 32,184 -2,598 15,347
Federal (TEUC) 817,072 807,205 +9,867 782,522
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 12/20/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -3,158 Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries, and agriculture.
GA -2,945 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MA -2,173 No comment.
SC -1,709 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ -1,697 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
AL -1,418 Fewer layoffs in the apparel and rubber/plastics industries.
IL -1,386 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
OK +1,060 No comment.
WA +1,464 No comment.
VA +1,633 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
MI +2,382 Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
MO +2,651 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, communications, and public utilities industries.
TX +2,742 Layoffs in the information and transportation industries.
IN +7,264 No comment.
KY +7,811 No comment.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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