News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 10-1723-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 : December 16, 2010
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 420,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 423,000. The 4-week moving average was 422,750, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 428,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 4 was 4,135,000, an increase of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,113,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,185,500, a decrease of 47,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,232,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 486,284 in the week ending Dec. 11, a decrease of 99,225 from the previous week. There were 555,383 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending Dec. 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,031,909, a decrease of 183,602 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.9 percent and the volume was 5,192,075.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Nov. 27 was 9,191,897.

 

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Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending Nov. 27.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,968 in the week ending Dec. 4, an increase of 523 from the prior week. There were 2,876 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 1,302 from the preceding week.

There were 50,941 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 27, an increase of 7,139 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 43,927, an increase of 4,084 from the prior week.

States reported 3,854,067 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 27, an increase of 142,931 from the prior week. There were 4,218,262 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 27 were in Alaska (6.9 percent), Oregon (5.4), Puerto Rico (5.0), Montana (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Idaho (4.5), Nevada (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.4), California (4.3), and New Jersey (4.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 4 were in New York (+16,863), North Carolina (+15,276), Pennsylvania (+15,174), Georgia (+15,019), and California (+13,585), while the largest decreases were in Iowa (-2,146), Idaho (-1,169), Puerto Rico (-609), Vermont (-418), and Montana (-191).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 11 Dec. 4 Change Nov. 27 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 420,000 423,000 -3,000 438,000 490,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 486,284 585,509 -99,225 412,922 555,383
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 422,750 428,000 -5,250 431,500 481,250
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 4 Nov. 27 Change Nov. 20 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 4,135,000 4,113,000 +22,000 4,277,000 5,320,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,031,909 4,215,511 -183,602 3,665,773 5,192,075
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 4,185,500 4,232,750 -47,250 4,290,250 5,412,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.3% 3.3% 0.0 3.4% 4.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.2% 3.3% -0.1 2.9% 3.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 4
Nov. 27
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 2,968 2,445 +523 2,121
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,876 1,574 +1,302 2,465
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 27
Nov. 20
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 4,202,589 3,654,367 +548,222 5,377,385
Federal Employees (UCFE) 50,941 43,802 +7,139 26,242
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 43,927 39,843 +4,084 37,058
EUC 20083 3,854,067 3,711,136 +142,931 4,218,262
Extended Benefits4 977,339 795,733 +181,606 534,425
State Additional Benefits 5 7,957 4,514 +3,443 2,671
STC / Workshare 6 55,077 48,543 +6,534 99,579
TOTAL 9,191,897 8,297,938 +893,959 10,295,622
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 125,845,577 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be  found starting on page 4-5 of this link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/04/2010 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IA -2,146 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
ID -1,169 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IN +1,039 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
ME +1,045 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OK +1,139 No comment.
MA +1,158 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
MD +1,404 No comment.
CO +1,412 No comment.
WV +1,584 No comment.
NV +1,648 No comment.
LA +1,965 No comment.
AZ +2,416 No comment.
MN +2,744 No comment.
MO +2,919 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
CT +3,004 Layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
OH +3,636 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
OR +3,723 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
MI +4,247 No comment.
WA +4,530 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
NJ +4,613 Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
AL +4,642 Layoffs in the construction, service, and textile industries.
VA +4,762 Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
SC +5,528 Layoffs in the textile and industrial machinery industries.
FL +6,337 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

(Continued)








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(Continued)
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TN +6,617 Layoffs in the trade, service, apparel, and transportation equipment industries.
IL +9,284 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
TX +11,811 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA +13,585 Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service industry.
GA +15,019 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA +15,174 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
NC +15,276 Layoffs in the service, furniture, textile, lumber/wood, fabricated metals, and transportation equipment industries.
NY +16,863 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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