EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2088-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 14, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 352,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 337,000. The 4-week moving average was 353,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 349,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Oct. 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 2 was 2,845,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,856,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,861,250, a decrease of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,866,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 336,528 in the week ending Oct. 9, an increase of 57,113 from the previous week. There were 368,876 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Oct.2, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,353,221, a decrease of 14,675 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,943,805.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 25.

1,198 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Sept. 25.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,497 in the week ending Oct. 2, an increase of 131 from the prior week. There were 2,235 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 131 from the preceding week.

There were 16,469 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 25, a decrease of 962 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,129, a decrease of 363 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 25 were in Puerto Rico (4.2 percent), Alaska (3.4), New Jersey (2.7), Pennsylvania (2.6), Oregon (2.5), California (2.4), Michigan (2.4), Massachusetts (2.3), Connecticut (2.2), and Washington (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 2 were in California (+4,065), Illinois (+2,021), Texas (+735), Colorado (+503), and Missouri (+381), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-2,625), Georgia (-2,075), Indiana (-1,640), Puerto Rico (-1,352), and New York (-1,247).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 9 Oct. 2 Change Sept. 25 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 352,000 337,000 +15,000 372,000 387,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 336,528 279,415 +57,113 282,729 368,876
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 353,000 349,000 +4,000 344,250 390,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 2 Sept. 25 Change Sept. 18 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,845,000 2,856,000 -11,000 2,865,000 3,573,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,353,221 2,367,896 -14,675 2,397,828 2,943,805
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,861,250 2,866,250 -5,000 2,874,000 3,576,500
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 1.9% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 2
Sept. 25
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,497 1,366 +131 1,706
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,235 2,366 -131 2,061
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 25
Sept. 18
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,469 17,431 -962 18,485
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,129 27,492 -363 20,649
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 1 1 0 34,026
Federal (TEUC) 1,198 1,471 -273 820,505
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 126,276,799 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/02/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -2,625 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
GA -2,075 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
IN -1,640 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PR -1,352 No comment.
NY -1,247 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IL +2,021 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA +4,065 Layoffs in the service industry, and agriculture.


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/