News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-124-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 : February 3, 2011
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Jan. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 415,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 457,000. The 4-week moving average was 430,500, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 429,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 22 was 3,925,000, a decrease of 84,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,009,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,929,500, a decrease of 50,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,980,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 459,683 in the week ending Jan. 29, a decrease of 26,633 from the previous week. There were 533,320 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent during the week ending Jan. 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,619,319, an increase of 5,274 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.4 percent and the volume was 5,683,683.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Jan. 15 was 9,298,859.

 

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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, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending Jan. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,831 in the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 1,011 from the prior week. There were 2,444 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 246 from the preceding week.

There were 49,119 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 15, a decrease of 1,590 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,422, a decrease of 2,254 from the prior week.

States reported 3,653,080 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 15, a decrease of 130,413 from the prior week. There were 5,629,285 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 15 were in Alaska (7.1 percent), Montana (5.5), Pennsylvania (5.4), Idaho (5.3), Oregon (5.3), Wisconsin (5.3), Puerto Rico (5.2), Illinois (4.9), Rhode Island (4.8), and Connecticut (4.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 22 were in Georgia (+10,335), North Carolina (+6,048), South Carolina (+3,299), Alabama (+1,609), and Puerto Rico (+1,300), while the largest decreases were in California (-13,775), Pennsylvania (-7,897), New York (-5,613), Indiana
(-5,396), and Florida (-4,712).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 29 Jan. 22 Change Jan. 15 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 415,000 457,000 -42,000 403,000 490,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 459,683 486,316 -26,633 549,890 533,320
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 430,500 429,500 +1,000 413,000 481,250
WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 22 Jan. 15 Change Jan. 8 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,925,000 4,009,000 -84,000 3,897,000 4,866,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,619,319 4,614,045 +5,274 4,652,435 5,683,683
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,929,500 3,980,000 -50,500 4,015,250 4,865,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.1% 3.2% -0.1 3.1% 3.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.7% 3.7% 0.0 3.7% 4.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 22
Jan. 15
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 2,831 3,842 -1,011 1,486
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,444 2,690 -246 1,878
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 15
Jan. 8
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 4,601,522 4,639,683 -38,161 5,580,562
Federal Employees (UCFE) 49,119 50,709 -1,590 26,197
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 40,422 42,676 -2,254 35,805
EUC 20083 3,653,080 3,783,493 -130,413 5,629,285
Extended Benefits4 898,381 835,539 +62,842 224,900
State Additional Benefits 5 6,885 6,644 +241 1,661
STC / Workshare 6 49,450 52,233 -2,783 89,114
TOTAL 9,298,859 9,410,977 -112,118 11,587,524
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 125,560,066 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 01/22/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -13,775 A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA -7,897 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NY -5,613 Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
IN -5,396 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
FL -4,712 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
TX -4,324 A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
IL -3,991 No comment.
MI -3,308 No comment.
OH -3,126 No comment.
WI -2,986 No comment.
MO -2,405 No comment.
MD -1,796 No comment.
WA -1,783 No comment.
NJ -1,697 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
OR -1,570 No comment.
KY -1,525 No comment.
NV -1,455 A shorter workweek.
KS -1,436 No comment.
CO -1,394 No comment.
UT -1,381 No comment.
ID -1,305 No comment.
AR -1,108 No comment.
CT -1,098 No comment.
LA -1,065 No comment.
IA -1,006 No comment.

(Continued)










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(Continued)
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PR +1,300 No comment.
AL +1,609 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and wood products industries.
SC +3,299 Layoffs in the industrial machinery and manufacturing industries.
NC +6,048 Layoffs in the stone/clay/glass, transportation equipment, mining, construction, and furniture industries.
GA +10,335 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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