News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1709-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. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : October 5, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 302,000, a decrease of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 319,000. The 4-week moving average was 313,500, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 316,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Sept. 23, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 23 was 2,448,000, an increase of 15,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,433,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,455,750, a decrease of 8,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,464,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 247,589 in the week ending Sept. 30, a decrease of 13,737 from the previous week. There were 313,847 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.6 percent during the week ending Sept. 23, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,063,376, an increase of 374 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,393,581.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,324 in the week ending Sept. 23, an increase of 263 from the prior week. There were 1,877 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 79 from the preceding week.

There were 14,376 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 16, a decrease of 42 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,805, a decrease of 569 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 16 were in Puerto Rico (3.7 percent), Alaska (2.5), Michigan (2.5), New Jersey (2.5), Pennsylvania (2.4), Arkansas (2.2), Connecticut (2.0), Massachusetts (2.0), Oregon (2.0), and Rhode Island (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 23 were in Michigan (+15,513), Missouri (+1,177), California (+802), Texas (+790), and Arkansas (+367), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-5,149), North Carolina (-3,499), Virginia (-2,502), Georgia (-2,476), and Minnesota (-1,576).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 30 Sept. 23 Change Sept. 16 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 302,000 319,000 -17,000 322,000 379,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 247,589 261,326 -13,737 267,036 313,847
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 313,500 316,250 -2,750 316,000 393,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 23 Sept. 16 Change Sept. 9 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,448,000 2,433,000 +15,000 2,452,000 2,843,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,063,376 2,063,002 +374 2,152,929 2,393,581
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,455,750 2,464,000 -8,250 2,475,000 2,712,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.6% 1.6% 0.0 1.7% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 23
Sept. 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,324 1,061 +263 1,318
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,877 1,956 -79 2,032
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 16
Sept. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,376 14,418 -42 15,658
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,805 25,374 -569 28,274
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 18 8 +10 0
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 129,945,159 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/23/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -5,149 No comment.
NC -3,499 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, lumber/wood, textile, and apparel industries.
VA -2,502 No comment.
GA -2,476 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
MN -1,576 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
SC -1,531 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA -1,324 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
TN -1,019 Fewer layoffs in the computer equipment, electronic equipment, transportation equipment, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO +1,177 Layoffs in the transportation and furniture industries.
MI +15,513 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

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/