News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-116-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 26, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Jan. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 283,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 272,000. The 4-week moving average was 288,750, a decrease of 10,750 from the previous week's revised average of 299,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Jan. 14, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 14 was 2,581,000, an increase of 53,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,528,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,623,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,654,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 316,992 in the week ending Jan. 21, a decrease of 122,750 from the previous week. There were 360,582 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Jan. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,053,310, a decrease of 108,904 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,311,633.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Jan. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,971 in the week ending Jan. 14, a decrease of 431 from the prior week. There were 2,840 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 363 from the preceding week.

There were 22,857 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 7, an increase of 2,398 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,717, an increase of 1,324 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 7 were in Alaska (5.6 percent), Michigan (4.8), Puerto Rico (4.4), Mississippi (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Wisconsin (3.7), Louisiana (3.4), New Jersey (3.4), Oregon (3.4), Idaho (3.3), and Rhode Island (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 14 were in Florida (+1,413), Puerto Rico (+1,187), Illinois (+672), Tennessee (+638), and Rhode Island (+551), while the largest decreases were in New York (-21,145), North Carolina (-11,474), Pennsylvania (-10,407), South Carolina (-8,089), and Georgia (-7,228).

-more-

 

3

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 21 Jan. 14 Change Jan. 7 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 283,000 272,000 +11,000 308,000 321,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 316,992 439,742 -122,750 555,114 360,582
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 288,750 299,500 -10,750 311,250 336,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 14 Jan. 7 Change Dec. 31 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,581,000 2,528,000 +53,000 2,692,000 2,776,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,053,310 3,162,214 -108,904 3,155,322 3,311,633
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,623,000 2,654,000 -31,000 2,679,500 2,739,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.1% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.5% -0.1 2.5% 2.6%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 14
Jan. 7
Change
Year

Federal Employees 1,971 2,402 -431 1,964
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,840 2,477 +363 2,116

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 7
Dec. 31
Change
Year

Federal Employees 22,857 20,459 +2,398 23,152
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,717 28,393 +1,324 28,552
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 4,380 4,489 -109 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 128,767,336 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/14/2006 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -21,145 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
NC -11,474 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, and service industries.
PA -10,407 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
SC -8,089 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
GA -7,228 Fewer layoffs in the textile and trade industry.
AL -7,001 Fewer layoffs in the textile and apparel industries.
WI -6,440 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA -4,912 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
CT -4,137 No comment.
NJ -4,130 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
IN -3,662 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
KY -3,478 No comment.
MN -3,169 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
MA -3,114 No comment.
MD -2,372 No comment.
IA -2,032 No comment.
MI -1,951 No comment.
MS -1,908 No comment.
VA -1,704 No comment.
DE -1,388 No comment.
OH -1,261 No comment.
ID -1,207 No comment.
WA -1,055 No comment.
AR -1,010 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PR +1,187 No comment.
FL +1,413 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

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/