News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-26-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 12, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Jan. 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 309,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 292,000. The 4-week moving average was 311,500, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 317,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Dec. 31, 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. 31 was 2,702,000, an increase of 12,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,690,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,681,750, an increase of 27,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,654,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 556,973 in the week ending Jan. 7, an increase of 80,613 from the previous week. There were 693,776 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Dec. 31, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,166,881, an increase of 345,318 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,401,253.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Dec. 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,679 in the week ending Dec. 31, an increase of 142 from the prior week. There were 1,591 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 181 from the preceding week.

There were 21,335 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 24, an increase of 1,839 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,498, a decrease of 8 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 24 were in Alaska (5.5 percent), Michigan (3.9), Mississippi (3.8), Puerto Rico (3.6), Louisiana (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.3), Wisconsin (3.3), Oregon (3.1), Idaho (2.9), and New Jersey (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 31 were in Wisconsin (+8,682), Pennsylvania (+7,814), North Carolina (+6,726), Georgia (+6,408), and New Jersey (+5,523), while the largest decreases were in California (-10,683), Illinois (-5,008), Texas (-3,786), Kentucky (-2,812), and Ohio (-2,454).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 7 Dec. 31 Change Dec. 24 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 309,000 292,000 +17,000 326,000 351,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 556,973 476,360 +80,613 433,397 693,776
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 311,500 317,000 -5,500 326,000 337,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 31 Dec. 24 Change Dec. 17 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,702,000 2,690,000 +12,000 2,705,000 2,666,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,166,881 2,821,563 +345,318 2,691,842 3,401,253
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,681,750 2,654,750 +27,000 2,628,500 2,736,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.2% +0.3 2.1% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 31
Dec. 24
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,679 1,537 +142 1,744
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,591 1,772 -181 1,483
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 24
Dec. 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 21,335 19,496 +1,839 22,935
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,498 28,506 -8 27,842
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 4,884 16,047 -11,163 6
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 12/31/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -10,683 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
IL -5,008 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX -3,786 Fewer layoffs in the finance, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY -2,812 No comment.
OH -2,454 No comment.
FL -1,592 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
RI +1,164 Layoffs in the service industry.
NH +1,196 No comment.
TN +1,292 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, food, construction, service, and primary metals industries.
VA +1,423 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
SC +1,911 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AR +2,000 No comment.
IN +2,081 No comment.
MD +2,348 No comment.
IA +2,481 No comment.
AL +3,199 Layoffs in the apparel and service industries.
CT +4,051 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
MI +4,601 No comment.
MA +5,005 No comment.
NY +5,164 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
NJ +5,523 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, public administration, and service industries.
GA +6,408 Layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.
NC +6,726 Layoffs in the textile, furniture, food, trade, service, primary metals, and fabricated metals industries.
PA +7,814 Layoffs in the transportation, primary metals, fabricated metals, service, and wood products industries.
WI +8,682 Layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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