News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1850-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 26, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 308,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 300,000. The 4-week moving average was 305,250, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 308,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Oct.14, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 14 was 2,449,000, an increase of 3,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,446,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,440,750, an increase of 4,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,436,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 290,497 in the week ending Oct. 21, an increase of 19,410 from the previous week. There were 304,733 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.6 percent during the week ending Oct. 14, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,122,889, an increase of 92,565 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,437,294.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Oct. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,168 in the week ending Oct. 14, a decrease of 1,101 from the prior week. There were 1,787 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 530 from the preceding week.

There were 14,708 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 7, a decrease of 170 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,943, an increase of 181 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 7 were in Puerto Rico (3.2 percent), Alaska (2.8), Michigan (2.8), New Jersey (2.3), Arkansas (2.2), Pennsylvania (2.2), Connecticut (2.0), Massachusetts (2.0), Oregon (2.0), and South Carolina (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 14 were in Michigan (+3,243), South Carolina (+509), North Dakota (+191), Vermont (+34), and Wyoming (+29), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-4,087), Kentucky (-3,382), Illinois (-2,220), Florida (-2,145), and Ohio (-1,933).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 21 Oct. 14 Change Oct. 7 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 308,000 300,000 +8,000 309,000 319,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 290,497 271,087 +19,410 307,668 304,733
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 305,250 308,000 -2,750 313,500 353,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 14 Oct. 7 Change Sept. 30 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,449,000 2,446,000 +3,000 2,428,000 2,792,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,122,889 2,030,324 +92,565 2,039,526 2,437,294
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,440,750 2,436,750 +4,000 2,438,250 2,820,500
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 1.6% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 14
Oct. 7
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,168 2,269 -1,101 1,518
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,787 2,317 -530 1,943
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 7
Sept. 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,708 14,878 -170 15,793
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,943 24,762 +181 27,283
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 3 37 -34 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 130,605,286 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/14/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA -4,087 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
KY -3,382 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
IL -2,220 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL -2,145 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
OH -1,933 No comment.
IN -1,827 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
CA -1,800 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
VA -1,766 No comment.
GA -1,749 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
MO -1,668 Fewer layoffs in the service and industrial machinery industries.
MN -1,229 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PR -1,181 No comment.
NY -1,163 No comment.
WA -1,124 No comment.
AL -1,111 No comment.
NJ -1,052 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI +3,243 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/