News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1864-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. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : October 6, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 390,000, an increase of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 369,000. The 4-week moving average was 404,500, an increase of 15,750 from the previous week's revised average of 388,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Sept. 24, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 24 was 2,905,000, an increase of 118,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,787,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,732,000, an increase of 83,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,648,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 312,394 in the week ending Oct. 1, an increase of 19,569 from the previous week. There were 279,591 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Sept. 24, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,422,567, an increase of 72,842 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,368,048.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,315 in the week ending Sept. 24, a decrease of 43 from the prior week. There were 2,029 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 128 from the preceding week.

There were 15,656 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 17, a decrease of 424 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,273, a decrease of 550 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 17 were in Louisiana (10.0 percent), Puerto Rico (5.2), Mississippi (5.1), Alaska (2.8), New Jersey (2.5), Michigan (2.4), Pennsylvania (2.4), Oregon (2.3), Arkansas (2.1), Massachusetts (2.1), California (2.0), Connecticut (2.0), and South Carolina (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 24 were in Mississippi (+3,705), Michigan (+2,590), Nebraska (+384), West Virginia (+278), and Rhode Island (+80), while the largest decreases were in Louisiana (-34,172), Florida (-3,255), Georgia (-2,797), Alabama (-2,359), and California (-2,127).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 1 Sept. 24 Change Sept. 17 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 390,000 369,000 +21,000 435,000 341,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 312,394 292,825 +19,569 346,039 279,591
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 404,500 388,750 +15,750 377,000 345,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 24 Sept. 17 Change Sept. 10 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,905,000 2,787,000 +118,000 2,658,000 2,846,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,422,567 2,349,725 +72,842 2,312,037 2,368,048
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,732,000 2,648,250 +83,750 2,601,000 2,855,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.2% +0.1 2.1% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.8% +0.1 1.8% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 24
Sept. 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,315 1,358 -43 1,366
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,029 2,157 -128 2,366
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 17
Sept. 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,656 16,080 -424 17,431
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,273 28,823 -550 27,492
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 1
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 127,622,590 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/24/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
LA -34,172 No comment.
FL -3,255 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
GA -2,797 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
AL -2,359 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
CA -2,127 Fewer layoffs in the service industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
NC -1,929 Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, and electronic equipment industries. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
NY -1,618 No comment.
VA -1,582 No comment. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
SC -1,316 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
IL -1,215 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
PA -1,200 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI +2,590 Layoffs in the automobile industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
MS +3,705 No comment. All claims were Hurricane Katrina related.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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