News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2217-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 28, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 350,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 330,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,250, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 348,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Oct. 16, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 16 was 2,823,000, an increase of 38,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,785,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,817,750, a decrease of 10,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,828,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 317,712 in the week ending Oct. 23, an increase of 38,123 from the previous week. There were 352,117 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Oct. 16, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,404,902, an increase of 115,610 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 2,989,662.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Oct. 9.

832 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Oct. 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,431 in the week ending Oct. 16, a decrease of 1,014 from the prior week. There were 1,833 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 510 from the preceding week.

There were 16,550 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 9, a decrease of 984 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,126, a decrease of 560 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 9 were in Alaska (3.6 percent), Puerto Rico (3.3), New Jersey (2.6), Oregon (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.6), Michigan (2.3), California (2.2), Connecticut (2.2), Massachusetts (2.2), and Washington (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 16 were in Indiana (+156), and Vermont (+105), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,414), Michigan (-4,475), Pennsylvania
(-3,827), Georgia (-2,421), and Texas (-2,400).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 23 Oct. 16 Change Oct. 9 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 350,000 330,000 +20,000 355,000 386,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 317,712 279,589 +38,123 338,711 352,117
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 343,250 348,750 -5,500 354,000 388,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 16 Oct. 9 Change Oct. 2 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,823,000 2,785,000 +38,000 2,806,000 3,505,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,404,902 2,289,292 +115,610 2,320,254 2,989,662
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,817,750 2,828,250 -10,500 2,851,750 3,534,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.8% +0.1 1.8% 2.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 16
Oct. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,431 2,445 -1,014 1,343
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,833 2,343 -510 1,542
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 9
Oct. 2
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,550 17,534 -984 18,611
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,126 27,686 -560 21,393
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 32,379
Federal (TEUC) 832 961 -129 812,698
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 10/16/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -8,414 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
MI -4,475 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
PA -3,827 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
GA -2,421 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
TX -2,400 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL -2,227 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
IL -2,118 Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.
TN -1,941 Fewer layoffs in the electronic equipment, paper, lumber/wood, and fabricated metals industries.
NC -1,767 Fewer layoffs in the construction and electrical equipment industries.
AL -1,727 No comment.
OH -1,674 No comment.
NY -1,665 No comment.
MN -1,458 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WA -1,396 No comment.
PR -1,386 No comment.
NJ -1,372 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI -1,308 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
MD -1,263 No comment.
MA -1,200 No comment.
SC -1,189 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
OR -1,102 No comment.
KS -1,004 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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