EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2012-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : October 7, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 335,000, a decrease of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 372,000. The 4-week moving average was 348,500, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 344,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Sept. 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 25 was 2,864,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,865,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,868,250, a decrease of 5,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,874,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 277,499 in the week ending Oct. 2, a decrease of 5,805 from the previous week. There were 337,880 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Sept.25, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,373,981, a decrease of 23,841 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,958,923.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 18.

1,471 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Sept. 18.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,363 in the week ending Sept. 25, a decrease of 106 from the prior week. There were 2,362 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 53 from the preceding week.

There were 17,427 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 18, an increase of 1,474 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,490, an increase of 1,167 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 18 were in Puerto Rico (5.2 percent), Alaska (3.1), New Jersey (2.7), Pennsylvania (2.7), Oregon (2.6), California (2.4), Michigan (2.4), Massachusetts (2.3), Arkansas (2.2), Connecticut (2.2), and Washington (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 25 were in Alabama (+6,664), Puerto Rico (+4,305), Michigan (+2,796), Indiana (+2,164), and Florida (+1,812), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-5,224), New York (-1,677), South Carolina (-1,569), Delaware (-1,187), and California (-983).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 2 Sept. 25 Change Sept. 18 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 335,000 372,000 -37,000 351,000 389,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 277,499 283,304 -5,805 275,846 337,880
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 348,500 344,250 +4,250 341,250 394,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 25 Sept. 18 Change Sept. 11 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,864,000 2,865,000 -1,000 2,879,000 3,574,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,373,981 2,397,822 -23,841 2,475,605 2,958,923
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,868,250 2,874,000 -5,750 2,877,250 3,581,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 25
Sept. 18
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,363 1,469 -106 1,446
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,362 2,309 +53 1,766
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 18
Sept. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,427 15,953 +1,474 20,112
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,490 26,323 +1,167 20,690
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 1 1 0 41,076
Federal (TEUC) 1,471 1,790 -319 832,295
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 126,088,081 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/25/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -5,224 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, lumber/wood, rubber/plastics, textile, and transportation industries.
NY -1,677 No comment.
SC -1,569 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
DE -1,187 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA +1,016 Layoffs in the textile industry.
FL +1,812 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture. There was a combined total of 13,200 claims filed as a result of the Hurricanes.
IN +2,164 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI +2,796 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
PR +4,305 Increase was primarily Hurricane Ivan related.
AL +6,664 Layoffs in the trade and service industries. Increase was primarily Hurricane Ivan related.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and  https://oui.doleta.gov/