News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2494-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), THURSDAY
Media Contact : December 16, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 317,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 360,000. The 4-week moving average was 337,750, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 342,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 4 was 2,737,000, a decrease of 50,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,787,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,746,250, a decrease of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,757,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 371,400 in the week ending Dec. 11, a decrease of 101,003 from the previous week. There were 412,627 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Dec. 4, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,684,771, a decrease of 193,954 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,287,681.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Nov. 27.

546 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 27.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,249 in the week ending Dec. 4, an increase of 1,071 from the prior week. There were 1,951 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 747 from the preceding week.

There were 22,127 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 27, an increase of 4,857 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,381, an increase of 5,358 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 27 were in Alaska (5.9 percent), Puerto Rico (4.8), Oregon (3.3), Michigan (3.2), California (3.1), Pennsylvania (3.1), Wisconsin (3.1), Arkansas (2.9), Idaho (2.9), and New Jersey (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 4 were in North Carolina (+20,266), California (+14,014), New York (+14,013), Georgia (+12,169), and Pennsylvania (+12,010), while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-6,468), Kentucky (-1,479), Texas (-696), Oregon (-615), and Idaho (-263).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 11 Dec. 4 Change Nov. 27 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 317,000 360,000 -43,000 350,000 362,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 371,400 472,403 -101,003 320,690 412,627
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 337,750 342,250 -4,500 336,750 368,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 4 Nov. 27 Change Nov. 20 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,737,000 2,787,000 -50,000 2,718,000 3,328,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,684,771 2,878,725 -193,954 2,331,862 3,287,681
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,746,250 2,757,250 -11,000 2,762,500 3,346,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.1% 2.3% -0.2 1.8% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 4
Nov. 27
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,249 1,178 +1,071 2,519
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,951 1,204 +747 2,375
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 27
Nov. 20
Change
Year
Federal Employees 22,127 17,270 +4,857 23,407
Newly Discharged Veterans 30,381 25,023 +5,358 25,184
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 1 10 -9 29,640
Federal (TEUC) 546 492 +54 807,763
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 12/04/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WI -6,468 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY -1,479 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
LA +1,066 No comment.
KS +1,243 Layoffs in the construction industry.
MS +1,283 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MA +1,367 No comment.
CO +1,513 No comment.
NV +1,550 No comment.
WV +1,677 No comment.
MD +1,687 No comment.
IA +1,727 No comment.
AR +1,786 Layoffs in the primary metals and leather goods industries.
CT +2,244 Layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
WA +3,160 No comment.
VA +3,335 Increase due to the return to a five day workweek.
MN +3,345 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
MI +3,901 No comment.
OH +4,452 No comment.
FL +4,609 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
MO +4,968 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
AL +5,086 Layoffs in the construction and textile industries.
NJ +5,593 Increase due to the return to a five day workweek.
TN +6,471 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, fabricated metals, apparel, food, and electrical equipment industries.
SC +8,675 Layoffs in the textile industry.
IL +11,089 No comment.
PA +12,010 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
GA +12,169 Layoffs in the textile industry.
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STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +14,013 No comment.
CA +14,014 Increase due to the return to a five day workweek.
NC +20,266 Layoffs in the construction, service, textile, and furniture industries.



State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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