News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-2393-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 : January 5, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 291,000, a decrease of 35,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 326,000. The 4-week moving average was 316,750, a decrease of 9,250 from the previous week's revised average of 326,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Dec. 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 24 was 2,718,000, an increase of 13,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,705,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,661,750, an increase of 33,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,628,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 474,290 in the week ending Dec. 31, an increase of 40,340 from the previous week. There were 540,927 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending Dec. 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 2,851,341, an increase of 159,474 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,025,945.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Dec. 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,537 in the week ending Dec. 24, a decrease of 594 from the prior week. There were 1,771 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 354 from the preceding week.

There were 19,485 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 17, a decrease of 1,942 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,505, a decrease of 785 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 17 were in Alaska (4.8 percent), Puerto Rico (4.3), Mississippi (3.7), Louisiana (3.6), Michigan (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.2), Wisconsin (2.9), New Jersey (2.8), Oregon (2.8), and Rhode Island (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 24 were in Michigan (+13,618), Kentucky (+8,081), Wisconsin (+7,107), Ohio (+7,043), and California (+4,998), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-3,348), Georgia (-1,087), New York (-238), Utah (-199), and Colorado (-91).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 31 Dec. 24 Change Dec. 17 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 291,000 326,000 -35,000 319,000 346,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 474,290 433,950 +40,340 359,108 540,927
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 316,750 326,000 -9,250 324,750 330,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 24 Dec. 17 Change Dec. 10 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,718,000 2,705,000 +13,000 2,630,000 2,810,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,851,341 2,691,867 +159,474 2,709,414 3,025,945
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,661,750 2,628,500 +33,250 2,637,500 2,756,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.1% +0.1 2.1% 2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 24
Dec. 17
Change
Year

Federal Employees 1,537 2,131 -594 1,437
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,771 2,125 -354 1,308

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 17
Dec. 10
Change
Year

Federal Employees 19,485 21,427 -1,942 19,582
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,505 29,290 -785 26,550
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 16,047 12 +16,035 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.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/24/2005 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -3,348 Fewer layoffs in the construction, apparel, and furniture industries.
GA -1,087 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PR +1,040 No comment.
CT +1,043 No comment.
MO +1,099 Layoffs in the public utilities and trade industries.
SC +1,197 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AR +1,380 No comment.
VA +1,791 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TX +1,797 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
IL +1,901 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
WA +2,125 No comment.
OR +3,538 No comment.
IA +3,812 No comment.
IN +4,128 No comment.
PA +4,841 Layoffs in the textile, wood products, food, transportation, trade, and service industries.
CA +4,998 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
OH +7,043 No comment.
WI +7,107 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
KY +8,081 Layoffs in the service industry.
MI +13,618 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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