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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-1807-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact: (202) 693-4676 December 29, 2011
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending December 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 381,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 366,000. The 4-week moving average was 375,000, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 380,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending December 17, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 17, was 3,601,000, an increase of 34,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,567,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,598,750, a decrease of 39,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,637,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 490,364 in the week ending December 24, an increase of 69,261 from the previous week. There were 525,710 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending December 17, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,597,548, a decrease of 30,448 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,116,684.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 10 was 7,231,514, an increase of 79,385 from the previous week.

 

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Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending December 10.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,877 in the week ending December 17, a decrease of 544 from the prior week. There were 3,897 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 962 from the preceding week.

There were 30,504 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 10, a decrease of 9 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 43,235, an increase of 1,218 from the prior week.

States reported 2,926,135 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 10, a decrease of 15,022 from the prior week. There were 3,711,288 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 December 10 were in Alaska (7.2), Puerto Rico (4.4), Oregon (4.1), Pennsylvania (4.1), Montana (3.9),Wisconsin (3.9), California (3.8), Idaho (3.7), New Jersey (3.7), and Michigan (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 17 were in California (+4,754), New York (+1,163), Washington (+926), Nevada (+678), and Missouri (+596) while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-3,667), Michigan (-3,523), Illinois (-3,092), Georgia (-2,133), and Texas (-1,747).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 24 Dec. 17 Change Dec. 10 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 381,000 366,000 +15,000 368,000 404,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 490,364 421,103 +69,261 435,863 525,710
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 375,000 380,750 -5,750 388,250 419,750
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 17 Dec. 10 Change Dec. 3 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,601,000 3,567,000 +34,000 3,628,000 4,142,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,597,548 3,627,996 -30,448 3,540,663 4,116,684
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,598,750 3,637,750 -39,000 3,672,000 4,131,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.8% +0.1 2.9% 3.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.8% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 17
Dec. 10
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,877 2,421 -544 2,529
Newly Discharged Veterans 3,897 2,935 +962 2,496
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 10
Dec. 3
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,611,966 3,531,439 +80,527 4,167,904
Federal Employees (UCFE) 30,504 30,513 -9 50,970
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 43,235 42,017 +1,218 43,214
EUC 20083 2,926,135 2,941,157 -15,022 3,711,288
Extended Benefits4 571,848 564,647 +7,201 819,269
State Additional Benefits 5 4,738 4,696 +42 6,678
STC / Workshare 6 43,088 37,660 +5,428 47,306
TOTAL 7,231,514 7,152,129 +79,385 8,846,629
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 126,188,733 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 paid, 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 12/17/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA -3,667 Fewer layoffs in the construction, plastic and rubber, and educational industries.
MI -3,523 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
IL -3,092 Fewer layoffs in the service, trade, and construction industries.
GA -2,133 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, service, trade, and construction industries.
TX -1,747 No comment.
FL -1,688 Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, manufacturing, construction, trade, retail, and service industries.
NJ -1,686 Fewer layoffs in the service, retail, professional and technology, and construction industries.
NC -1,344 Fewer layoffs in the electronic, and lumber product industries.
TN -1,177 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA +4,754 Layoffs in the service industry.
NY +1,163 Layoffs in the construction, educational service, and real estate, rental and leasing 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/