News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-2280-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 8, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 327,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 321,000. The 4-week moving average was 322,500, a decrease of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 322,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Nov. 26, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 26 was 2,603,000, a decrease of 137,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,740,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,726,250, a decrease of 46,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,773,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 443,165 in the week ending Dec. 3, an increase of 152,650 from the previous week. There were 473,570 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Nov. 26, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,714,675, an increase of 412,668 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,880,075.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Nov. 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,209 in the week ending Nov. 26, a decrease of 1,257 from the prior week. There were 1,626 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 698 from the preceding week.

There were 16,729 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 19, a decrease of 2,485 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,738, a decrease of 3,812 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 19 were in Louisiana (10.0 percent), Alaska (4.3), Mississippi (4.0), Puerto Rico (3.9), Michigan (2.6), Oregon (2.5), Pennsylvania (2.5), New Jersey (2.4), Arkansas (2.3), and Wisconsin (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 26 were in Wisconsin (+9,306), Kentucky (+1,339), Pennsylvania (+1,067), Vermont (+692), and Massachusetts (+556), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-15,070), California (-14,402), Michigan (-6,278), Illinois (-5,094), and Louisiana (-4,571).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 3 Nov. 26 Change Nov. 19 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 327,000 321,000 +6,000 337,000 349,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 443,165 290,515 +152,650 368,859 473,570
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 322,500 322,750 -250 323,750 338,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 26 Nov. 19 Change Nov. 12 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,603,000 2,740,000 -137,000 2,797,000 2,767,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,714,675 2,302,007 +412,668 2,564,440 2,880,075
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,726,250 2,773,000 -46,750 2,786,750 2,757,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 2.2% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.1% 1.8% +0.3 2.0% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 26
Nov. 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,209 2,466 -1,257 1,178
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,626 2,324 -698 1,204
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 19
Nov. 12
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,729 19,214 -2,485 17,270
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,738 28,550 -3,812 25,023
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 10
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 11/26/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL -15,070 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
CA -14,402 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
MI -6,278 No comment.
IL -5,094 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
LA -4,571 Fewer Hurricane related claims. 4996 claims were Hurricane related.
TX -4,253 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries. 235 claims were Hurricane related.
SC -4,033 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ -3,807 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY -3,613 No comment.
GA -3,050 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
MO -2,863 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and furniture industries.
NC -2,652 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, furniture, textile, and lumber/wood industries.
WA -2,378 No comment.
MN -2,367 No comment.
IN -1,722 No comment.
TN -1,628 Fewer layoffs in the apparel, chemical, industrial machinery, furniture, and transportation equipment industries.
AL -1,285 No comment.
AZ -1,202 No comment.
IA -1,129 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA +1,067 Layoffs in the transportation, transportation equipment, and service industries.
KY +1,339 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WI +9,306 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing 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/