News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-2095-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 : December 21, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 315,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 306,000. The 4-week moving average was 325,750, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 327,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Dec. 9, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 9 was 2,520,000, an increase of 45,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,475,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,493,000, an increase of 21,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,471,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 359,489 in the week ending Dec. 16, a decrease of 24,575 from the previous week. There were 359,108 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Dec. 9, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,583,187, an increase of 145,744 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,709,414.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Dec. 2.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,748 in the week ending Dec. 9, a decrease of 486 from the prior week. There were 2,192 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 9 from the preceding week.

There were 17,380 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 2, a decrease of 1,308 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,269, a decrease of 1,599 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 2 were in Alaska (4.2 percent), Michigan (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.0), Puerto Rico (3.0), Arkansas (2.9), Oregon (2.8), Wisconsin (2.8), New Jersey (2.6), Massachusetts (2.4), and Washington (2.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 9 were in Illinois (+8,055), Ohio (+4,821), Missouri (+1,445), Massachusetts (+1,403), and Oklahoma (+1,298), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-14,225), Georgia (-10,340), Pennsylvania (-10,053), California
(-8,386), and New York (-7,968).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 16 Dec. 9 Change Dec. 2 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 315,000 306,000 +9,000 324,000 312,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 359,489 384,064 -24,575 448,898 359,108
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 325,750 327,750 -2,000 328,750 316,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 9 Dec. 2 Change Nov. 25 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,520,000 2,475,000 +45,000 2,510,000 2,618,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,583,187 2,437,443 +145,744 2,620,460 2,709,414
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,493,000 2,471,750 +21,250 2,463,000 2,625,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.0% 1.9% +0.1 2.0% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 9
Dec. 2
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,748 2,234 -486 1,672
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,192 2,183 +9 2,351
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 2
Nov. 25
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,380 18,688 -1,308 19,232
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,269 26,868 -1,599 28,239
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 1 1 0 3
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.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/09/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -14,225 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, textile, furniture, lumber/wood, fabricated metals, electronic equipment, and electrical equipment industries.
GA -10,340 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
PA -10,053 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
CA -8,386 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries, and agriculture.
NY -7,968 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
SC -6,730 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WA -6,515 No comment.
WI -3,003 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
AL -2,422 Fewer layoffs in the apparel and transportation equipment industries.
KY -1,502 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN -1,483 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, trade, service, fabricated metals, and finance industries.
VA -1,407 No comment.
MT -1,298 No comment.
OR -1,184 No comment.
PR -1,126 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL +1,221 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
OK +1,298 No comment.
MA +1,403 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
MO +1,445 Layoffs in the construction industry.
OH +4,821 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
IL +8,055 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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