News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-2569-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 30, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 326,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 331,000. The 4-week moving average was 333,500, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised average of 339,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Dec. 18, 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. 18 was 2,755,000, an increase of 29,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,726,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,751,000, an increase of 9,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,741,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 453,654 in the week ending Dec. 25, an increase of 79,058 from the previous week. There were 516,493 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending Dec. 18, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,721,778, a decrease of 99,217 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,247,595.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Dec. 11.

565 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Dec. 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,002 in the week ending Dec. 18, an increase of 101 from the prior week. There were 1,636 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 163 from the preceding week.

There were 22,223 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 11, an increase of 2,451 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,864, an increase of 1,639 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 11 were in Alaska (6.0 percent), Puerto Rico (3.5), Michigan (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.3), Oregon (3.2), Idaho (3.0), Arkansas (2.9), New Jersey (2.9), Washington (2.9), and Wisconsin (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 18 were in Michigan (+4,661), Kentucky (+2,731), Virginia (+2,190), Ohio (+2,175), and Texas (+1,888), while the largest decreases were in California (-3,031), Pennsylvania (-2,696), South Carolina (-1,547), Georgia (-1,196), and Alabama
(-1,005).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 25 Dec. 18 Change Dec. 11 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 326,000 331,000 -5,000 316,000 349,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 453,654 374,596 +79,058 370,604 516,493
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 333,500 339,500 -6,000 337,750 362,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 18 Dec. 11 Change Dec. 4 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,755,000 2,726,000 +29,000 2,736,000 3,317,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,721,778 2,820,995 -99,217 2,684,337 3,247,595
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,751,000 2,741,750 +9,250 2,746,000 3,314,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.1% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 18
Dec. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,002 1,901 +101 2,116
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,636 1,799 -163 1,602
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 11
Dec. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 22,223 19,772 +2,451 24,247
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,864 27,225 +1,639 26,042
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 1 1 0 29,662
Federal (TEUC) 565 569 -4 817,072
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 12/18/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -3,031 No comment.
PA -2,696 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
SC -1,547 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
GA -1,196 Fewer layoffs in the carpets/rugs industry.
AL -1,005 Fewer layoffs in the apparel and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO +1,032 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
TX +1,888 Layoffs in the finance, information, and manufacturing industries.
OH +2,175 No comment.
VA +2,190 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, information, and manufacturing industries.
KY +2,731 No comment.
MI +4,661 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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