News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2148-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 21, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 329,000, a decrease of 25,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 348,250, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 353,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Oct. 9, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 9 was 2,798,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,806,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,831,500, a decrease of 20,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,851,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 278,662 in the week ending Oct. 16, a decrease of 59,661 from the previous week. There were 328,572 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent during the week ending Oct. 9, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,300,163, a decrease of 20,224 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,890,257.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Oct. 2.

961 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Oct. 2.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,443 in the week ending Oct. 9, an increase of 943 from the prior week. There were 2,334 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 95 from the preceding week.

There were 17,531 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 2, an increase of 1,062 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,684, an increase of 554 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 2 were in Puerto Rico (4.1 percent), Alaska (3.6), New Jersey (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.6), Oregon (2.5), California (2.3), Massachusetts (2.3), Michigan (2.2), Washington (2.2), Arkansas (2.1), Connecticut (2.1), Illinois (2.1), and Rhode Island (2.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 9 were in Michigan (+6,205), Pennsylvania (+4,601), Texas (+4,525), New York (+3,291), and California (+3,190), while the largest decreases were in Alabama (-1,684), Alaska (-30), and Puerto Rico (-30).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 16 Oct. 9 Change Oct. 2 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 329,000 354,000 -25,000 338,000 391,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 278,662 338,323 -59,661 279,591 328,572
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 348,250 353,750 -5,500 349,250 391,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 9 Oct. 2 Change Sept. 25 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,798,000 2,806,000 -8,000 2,857,000 3,486,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,300,163 2,320,387 -20,224 2,368,048 2,890,257
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,831,500 2,851,750 -20,250 2,866,500 3,555,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.3% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.8% 1.8% 0.0 1.9% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 9
Oct. 2
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,443 1,500 +943 2,155
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,334 2,239 +95 2,236
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 2
Sept. 25
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,531 16,469 +1,062 20,253
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,684 27,130 +554 20,983
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 1 -1 34,103
Federal (TEUC) 961 1,198 -237 842,594
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.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/09/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
AL -1,684 Fewer layoffs in the textile and apparel industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OK +1,002 No comment.
IN +1,073 No comment.
MA +1,088 No comment.
MO +1,207 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
OH +1,453 No comment.
SC +1,492 Layoffs in the textile industry.
MD +1,513 No comment.
KS +1,563 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, information, service , and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,804 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
MN +1,851 Layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
GA +2,076 Layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
OR +2,083 No comment.
AR +2,507 No comment.
TN +2,519 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, trade, and service industries.
WA +2,768 No comment.
CA +3,190 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
NY +3,291 Layoffs in the construction, service, finance, and insurance industries.
TX +4,525 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA +4,601 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
MI +6,205 Layoffs in the automobile industry.


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/