News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-2119-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 28, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 317,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 316,000. The 4-week moving average was 315,750, a decrease of 10,250 from the previous week's revised average of 326,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Dec. 16, 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. 16 was 2,530,000, an increase of 16,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,514,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,507,000, an increase of 15,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,491,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 422,800 in the week ending Dec. 23, an increase of 61,231 from the previous week. There were 433,397 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Dec. 16, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,573,174, a decrease of 4,129 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,691,842.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Dec. 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,931 in the week ending Dec. 16, an increase of 182 from the prior week. There were 1,978 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 216 from the preceding week.

There were 20,069 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 9, an increase of 2,688 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,195, an increase of 927 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 9 were in Alaska (4.9 percent), Michigan (3.7), Puerto Rico (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.1), Wisconsin (2.9), Arkansas (2.8), New Jersey (2.7), Oregon (2.7), Montana (2.6), and Massachusetts (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 16 were in Kentucky (+9,002), California (+6,012), Tennessee (+2,342), New York (+1,285), and North Carolina (+732), while the largest decreases were in Illinois (-7,870), Ohio (-4,180), Indiana (-4,146), Pennsylvania (-4,064), and Georgia (-2,477).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 23 Dec. 16 Change Dec. 9 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 317,000 316,000 +1,000 306,000 314,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 422,800 361,569 +61,231 384,123 433,397
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 315,750 326,000 -10,250 327,750 315,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 16 Dec. 9 Change Dec. 2 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,530,000 2,514,000 +16,000 2,474,000 2,670,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,573,174 2,577,303 -4,129 2,436,936 2,691,842
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,507,000 2,491,250 +15,750 2,471,500 2,616,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 1.9% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 16
Dec. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,931 1,749 +182 2,131
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,978 2,194 -216 2,125
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 9
Dec. 2
Change
Year
Federal Employees 20,069 17,381 +2,688 21,427
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,195 25,268 +927 29,290
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 2 1 +1 12
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 12/16/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IL -7,870 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH -4,180 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
IN -4,146 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
PA -4,064 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and transportation industries.
GA -2,477 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
WI -2,476 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
MN -2,412 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
MO -2,305 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
FL -1,991 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
NJ -1,772 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WA -1,728 No comment.
IA -1,331 No comment.
MA -1,111 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +1,285 Layoffs in the construction industry.
TN +2,342 Layoffs in the primary metals and printing/publishing industries.
CA +6,012 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
KY +9,002 Layoffs in the automobile and rubber/plastics industries.

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/