News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-2069-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 27, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 328,000, a decrease of 28,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 356,000. The 4-week moving average was 366,500, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised average of 376,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Oct. 15, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 15 was 2,904,000, an increase of 42,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,862,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,873,500, an increase of 29,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,844,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 303,125 in the week ending Oct. 22, an increase of 162 from the previous week. There were 317,573 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Oct. 15, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,468,090, an increase of 124,293 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,402,533.

-more-

 

2

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

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,516 in the week ending Oct. 15, a decrease of 813 from the prior week. There were 1,940 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 608 from the preceding week.

There were 15,791 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 8, an increase of 576 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,281, a decrease of 922 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 8 were in Louisiana (11.2 percent), Mississippi (5.5), Puerto Rico (3.8), Alaska (3.1), Michigan (2.3), New Jersey (2.3), Oregon (2.3), Pennsylvania (2.3), Arkansas (2.2), Connecticut (2.0), Massachusetts (2.0), and South Carolina (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 15 were in North Carolina (+1,920), Kentucky (+1,155), New York (+645), Vermont (+306), and Rhode Island (+294), while the largest decreases were in Louisiana (-24,286), Texas (-9,244), California (-8,253), Mississippi (-7,336), and Illinois (-4,543).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 22 Oct. 15 Change Oct. 8 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 328,000 356,000 -28,000 391,000 340,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 303,125 302,963 +162 380,093 317,573
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 366,500 376,500 -10,000 396,250 340,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 15 Oct. 8 Change Oct. 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,904,000 2,862,000 +42,000 2,858,000 2,813,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,468,090 2,343,797 +124,293 2,372,126 2,402,533
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,873,500 2,844,250 +29,250 2,793,250 2,812,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.2% +0.1 2.2% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.8% +0.1 1.9% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 15
Oct. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,516 2,329 -813 1,432
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,940 2,548 -608 1,833
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 8
Oct. 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,791 15,215 +576 16,552
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,281 28,203 -922 27,128
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 0
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 128,182,010 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/15/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
LA -24,286 Fewer Hurricane related claims.
TX -9,244 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. An unspecified number of claims was Hurricane related.
CA -8,253 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
MS -7,336 Fewer Hurricane related claims.
IL -4,543 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL -3,111 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
OH -1,945 No comment.
AL -1,655 Fewer layoffs in the trade and furniture industries.
PA -1,647 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
MD -1,488 No comment.
OR -1,461 No comment.
AR -1,391 No comment.
WA -1,381 No comment.
DE -1,081 No comment.
WI -1,075 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY +1,155 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NC +1,920 Layoffs in the construction, primary metals, textile, apparel, and furniture industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and  https://oui.doleta.gov/