News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2393-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), WEDNESDAY
Media Contact : November 24, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Nov. 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 323,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 335,000. The 4-week moving average was 332,000, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 338,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Nov. 13, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 13 was 2,755,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,784,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,785,000, a decrease of 16,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,801,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 355,121 in the week ending Nov. 20, an increase of 43,295 from the previous week. There were 397,990 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Nov. 13, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,540,031, an increase of 148,287 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,137,692.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Nov. 6.

659 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 6.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,709 in the week ending Nov. 13, a decrease of 512 from the prior week. There were 1,651 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 302 from the preceding week.

There were 17,133 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 6, a decrease of 1,512 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,218, a decrease of 1,209 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 6 were in Alaska (4.4 percent), Puerto Rico (3.1), Oregon (2.8), Michigan (2.6), New Jersey (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.6), Washington (2.5), Arkansas (2.4), California (2.4), and Massachusetts (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 13 were in Texas (+383), Puerto Rico (+261), the District of Columbia (+26), and the Virgin Islands (+9), while the largest decreases were in California (-6,266), Florida (-5,858), Illinois (-2,884), Indiana (-2,401), and Washington(-1,878).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov.20 Nov. 13 Change Nov. 6 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 323,000 335,000 -12,000 338,000 362,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 355,121 311,826 +43,295 354,752 397,990
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 332,000 338,750 -6,750 337,500 367,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 13 Nov. 6 Change Oct. 30 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,755,000 2,784,000 -29,000 2,808,000 3,363,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,540,031 2,391,744 +148,287 2,434,384 3,137,692
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,785,000 2,801,250 -16,250 2,802,750 3,437,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.0% 1.9% +0.1 1.9% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 13
Nov. 6
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,709 2,221 -512 1,976
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,651 1,953 -302 1,534
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 6
Oct. 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,133 18,645 -1,512 18,506
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,218 28,427 -1,209 23,095
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 4 1 +3 29,711
Federal (TEUC) 659 767 -108 806,109
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 11/13/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -6,266 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
FL -5,858 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
IL -2,884 No comment.
IN -2,401 No comment.
WA -1,878 No comment.
AR -1,610 No comment.
NC -1,608 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, and service industries.
OR -1,390 No comment.
OH -1,357 No comment.
MO -1,357 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NJ -1,352 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, trade, and service industries.
MA -1,337 No comment.
GA -1,039 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.

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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