News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-2308-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 15, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 329,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 328,000. The 4-week moving average was 328,750, an increase of 6,000 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 Dec. 3, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 3 was 2,606,000, an increase of 21,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,585,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,682,250, a decrease of 39,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,722,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 389,130 in the week ending Dec. 10, a decrease of 55,244 from the previous week. There were 370,604 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Dec. 3, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,553,677, a decrease of 142,264 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,684,337.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Nov. 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,221 in the week ending Dec. 3, an increase of 1,009 from the prior week. There were 2,744 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 1,115 from the preceding week.

There were 21,373 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 26, an increase of 4,639 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,164, an increase of 5,424 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 26 were in Alaska (5.4 percent), Puerto Rico (4.6), Mississippi (4.5), Louisiana (3.9), Michigan (3.4), Wisconsin (3.0), Oregon (2.9), Pennsylvania (2.9), Arkansas (2.7), and New Jersey (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 3 were in California (+23,001), North Carolina (+21,785), New York (+11,211), Pennsylvania (+10,915), and Illinois (+8,368), while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-5,981), Kentucky (-983), Louisiana (-759), Vermont (-738), and Arkansas (-617).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 10 Dec. 3 Change Nov. 26 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 329,000 328,000 +1,000 321,000 321,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 389,130 444,374 -55,244 290,730 370,604
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 328,750 322,750 +6,000 322,750 335,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 3 Nov. 26 Change Nov. 19 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,606,000 2,585,000 +21,000 2,741,000 2,748,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,553,677 2,695,941 -142,264 2,302,708 2,684,337
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,682,250 2,722,000 -39,750 2,773,250 2,748,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.1% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 1.8% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 3
Nov. 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,221 1,212 +1,009 2,260
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,744 1,629 +1,115 1,987
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 26
Nov. 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 21,373 16,734 +4,639 22,147
Newly Discharged Veterans 30,164 24,740 +5,424 30,381
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
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 128,182,010 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/03/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WI -5,981 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NV +1,055 No comment.
MA +1,125 No comment.
KS +1,313 Layoffs in the construction industry.
WV +1,371 No comment.
MD +1,435 No comment.
DE +1,476 No comment.
CT +1,654 Layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
OR +1,847 No comment.
MS +1,976 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NE +2,022 No comment.
IA +2,858 Layoffs in the construction industry.
OH +3,129 Layoffs in the construction and automobile industries.
MO +3,152 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
AL +3,324 Layoffs in the construction and textile industries.
TN +3,598 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WA +3,883 No comment.
FL +4,021 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
VA +4,110 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
IN +4,328 Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
NJ +4,599 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MN +4,788 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
SC +7,049 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI +7,333 Layoffs in the construction industry.
GA +8,161 Layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.
IL +8,368 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
PA +10,915 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
NY +11,211 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
NC +21,785 Layoffs in the textile, apparel, furniture, and transportation industries.
CA +23,001 Layoffs in the construction and service industries, and agriculture.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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