News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-129-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 : January 27, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Jan. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 325,000, an increase of 7,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 318,000. The 4-week moving average was 341,750, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 340,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Jan. 15, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 15 was 2,840,000, an increase of 142,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,698,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,760,250, an increase of 15,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,745,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 361,480 in the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 106,351 from the previous week. There were 382,262 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending Jan. 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,345,939, an increase of 3,594 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,798,519.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Jan. 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,976 in the week ending Jan. 15, a decrease of 741 from the prior week. There were 2,109 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 188 from the preceding week.

There were 23,103 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 8, an increase of 1,684 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,548, an increase of 770 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 8 were in Alaska (6.2 percent), Michigan (4.9), Puerto Rico (4.9), Wisconsin (3.9), Idaho (3.8), Oregon (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Massachusetts (3.5), New Jersey (3.5), and Rhode Island (3.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 15 were in Puerto Rico (+926), Wyoming (+49), and the Virgin Islands (+35), while the largest decreases were in New York(-22,589), Pennsylvania (-20,511), North Carolina (-17,056), Michigan (-14,303), and Wisconsin (-9,813).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 22 Jan. 15 Change Jan. 8 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 325,000 318,000 +7,000 367,000 347,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 361,480 467,831 -106,351 695,437 382,262
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 341,750 340,750 +1,000 344,000 355,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 15 Jan. 8 Change Jan. 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,840,000 2,698,000 +142,000 2,647,000 3,173,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,345,939 3,342,345 +3,594 3,401,073 3,798,519
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,760,250 2,745,000 +15,250 2,752,000 3,210,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.1% +0.1 2.1% 2.5%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.7% 3.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 15
Jan. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,976 2,717 -741 2,061
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,109 2,297 -188 2,260
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 8
Jan. 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 23,103 21,419 +1,684 25,418
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,548 27,778 +770 28,336
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 1 2 -1 27,495
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 126,641,867 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/15/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -22,589 No comment.
PA -20,511 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NC -17,056 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, furniture, construction, and rubber/plastics industries.
MI -14,303 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
WI -9,813 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -9,688 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
GA -9,374 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
NJ -9,196 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH -8,894 No comment.
IL -8,645 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
IN -8,247 Fewer layoffs in the recreation industry.
MO -7,469 Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
TX -6,733 Fewer layoffs in the trade, information, and finance industries.
AL -5,715 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
VA -5,431 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN -5,312 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, fabricated metals, electrical equipment, furniture, and food industries.
MN -5,035 No comment.
KY -4,226 No comment.
IA -3,886 No comment.
AR -3,780 No comment.
MA -3,673 No comment.
OR -3,361 No comment.
WA -2,749 No comment.
CT -2,712 No comment.
MD -2,686 No comment.
OK -2,559 No comment.
CA -2,496 No comment.
MS -2,214 No comment.
FL -2,136 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
DE -1,914 No comment.
ID -1,809 No comment.
AZ -1,375 No comment.

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STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MT -1,352 No comment.
LA -1,221 No comment.
ND -1,082 No comment.
CO -1,061 No comment.
NV -1,050 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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