News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-1-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : January 3, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 336,000, a decrease of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 357,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,750, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 344,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Dec. 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 22 was 2,761,000, an increase of 46,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,715,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,687,000, an increase of 42,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,645,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 510,652 in the week ending Dec. 29, an increase of 54,681 from the previous week. There were 499,979 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Dec. 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,819,269, an increase of 3,918 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,654,693.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Dec. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,915 in the week ending Dec. 22, an increase of 167 from the prior week. There were 1,491 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 5 from the preceding week.

There were 16,760 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 15, a decrease of 1,207 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,057, a decrease of 484 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 15 were in Alaska (4.3 percent), Michigan (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.3), Rhode Island (3.1), Wisconsin (3.0), California (2.9), New Jersey (2.9), Oregon (2.9), Idaho (2.8), Arkansas (2.7), Massachusetts (2.7), and Puerto Rico (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 22 were in Michigan (+12,084), California (+6,345), Indiana (+4,754), Texas (+4,388), and Pennsylvania (+4,264), while the largest decreases were in Illinois (-1,819), New York (-1,139), Colorado (-1,075), Florida (-989), and North Carolina (-839).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 29 Dec. 22 Change Dec. 15 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 336,000 357,000 -21,000 348,000 326,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 510,652 455,971 +54,681 393,042 499,979
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 343,750 344,500 -750 343,500 319,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 22 Dec. 15 Change Dec. 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,761,000 2,715,000 +46,000 2,638,000 2,427,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,819,269 2,815,351 +3,918 2,701,259 2,654,693
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,687,000 2,645,000 +42,000 2,631,000 2,470,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.0% +0.1 2.0% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.0% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 22
Dec. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,915 1,748 +167 1,641
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,491 1,496 -5 1,706
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 15
Dec. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,760 17,967 -1,207 17,605
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,057 24,541 -484 25,600
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 2
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 132,623,886 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/22/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IL -1,819 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
NY -1,139 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
CO -1,075 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
AL +1,013 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, transportation equipment, and service industries.
AR +1,415 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,697 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MS +1,783 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN +1,825 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, primary metals, fabricated metals, trade, and service industries.
MA +1,943 No comment.
VA +2,061 No comment.
CT +2,564 Layoffs in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.
OK +3,120 No comment.
MO +3,165 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, service, and manufacturing industries.
OR +3,236 No comment.
OH +3,332 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
NJ +3,740 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, construction, trade, and service industries.
KY +3,818 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
PA +4,264 Layoffs in the textile, apparel, and service industries.
TX +4,388 Layoffs in the transportation and manufacturing industries.
IN +4,754 Layoffs in the automobile, construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA +6,345 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
MI +12,084 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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