News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-2348-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 22, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 318,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 331,000. The 4-week moving average was 324,500, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 329,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Dec. 10, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 10 was 2,638,000, an increase of 41,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,597,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,640,250, a decrease of 39,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,680,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 357,876 in the week ending Dec. 17, a decrease of 33,915 from the previous week. There were 374,749 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Dec. 10, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,716,799, an increase of 171,922 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,820,965.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Dec. 3.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,671 in the week ending Dec. 10, a decrease of 552 from the prior week. There were 2,348 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 398 from the preceding week.

There were 19,301 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 3, a decrease of 2,076 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,290, a decrease of 1,876 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 3 were in Alaska (4.6 percent), Puerto Rico (4.4), Louisiana (4.0), Mississippi (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.1), Michigan (2.9), Oregon (2.8), Wisconsin (2.7), Arkansas (2.6), and New Jersey (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 10 were in Illinois (+5,324), Ohio (+4,112), Missouri (+2,149), Massachusetts (+1,889), and New Jersey (+1,611), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-16,086), California (-13,778), New York (-9,024), Pennsylvania
(-7,121), and South Carolina (-3,861).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 17 Dec. 10 Change Dec. 3 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 318,000 331,000 -13,000 328,000 329,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 357,876 391,791 -33,915 444,600 374,749
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 324,500 329,250 -4,750 322,750 336,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 10 Dec. 3 Change Nov. 26 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,638,000 2,597,000 +41,000 2,585,000 2,720,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,716,799 2,544,877 +171,922 2,695,927 2,820,965
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,640,250 2,680,000 -39,750 2,722,000 2,743,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.0% +0.1 2.0% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.1% 2.0% +0.1 2.1% 2.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 10
Dec. 3
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,671 2,223 -552 1,901
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,348 2,746 -398 1,799
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 3
Nov. 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 19,301 21,377 -2,076 19,772
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,290 30,166 -1,876 27,225
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 2,000 +1,000 3,000
Extended Benefits 3 0 +3 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 12/10/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -16,086 Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation, fabricated metals, textile, apparel, and furniture industries.
CA -13,778 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries, and agriculture.
NY -9,024 Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
PA -7,121 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and transportation industries.
SC -3,861 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
LA -3,187 Fewer Hurricane related claims. 734 claims were Hurricane related.
MN -2,345 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
MS -2,233 No comment.
MI -1,998 No comment.
AL -1,927 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, textile, and manufacturing industries.
GA -1,927 Fewer layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.
VA -1,823 Fewer layoffs in the information, finance, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
WA -1,809 No comment.
FL -1,807 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
WI -1,591 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
DE -1,369 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IA +1,270 No comment.
CO +1,355 No comment.
TX +1,363 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
KS +1,589 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
NJ +1,611 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
MA +1,889 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
MO +2,149 Layoffs in the construction, transportation, and stone/clay/glass industries.
OH +4,112 Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
IL +5,324 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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