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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-1823-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 January 5, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending December 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 387,000. The 4-week moving average was 373,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 376,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending December 24, a decrease 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 24, was 3,595,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,617,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,601,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,602,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 535,112 in the week ending December 31, an increase of 37,423 from the previous week. There were 578,904 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending December 24, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,764,364, an increase of 150,906 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,415,512.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 17 was 7,223,203, a decrease of 8,311 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 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,092 in the week ending December 24, an increase of 215 from the prior week. There were 2,332 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 1,565 from the preceding week.

There were 30,777 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 17, an increase of 273 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,352, a decrease of 883 from the prior week.

States reported 2,932,561 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 17, an increase of 6,426 from the prior week. There were 3,577,663 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 17 were in Alaska (6.5), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.0), Idaho (3.8), Montana (3.8), California (3.7), Nevada (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), Illinois (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), and Rhode Island (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 24 were in California (+16,490), Pennsylvania (+6,764), Michigan (+5,632), Kentucky (+5,263), and Indiana (+5,084) while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-1,105), Texas (-876), Louisiana (-696), South Carolina (-685), and Puerto Rico (-676).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 31 Dec. 24 Change Dec. 17 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 372,000 387,000 -15,000 366,000 418,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 535,112 497,689 +37,423 421,103 578,904
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 373,250 376,500 -3,250 380,750 418,000
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 24 Dec. 17 Change Dec. 10 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,595,000 3,617,000 -22,000 3,567,000 4,127,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,764,364 3,613,458 +150,906 3,628,110 4,415,512
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,601,750 3,602,750 -1,000 3,637,750 4,131,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.9% -0.1 2.8% 3.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.0% 2.9% +0.1 2.9% 3.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 24
Dec. 17
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 2,092 1,877 +215 2,230
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,332 3,897 -1,565 1,834
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 17
Dec. 10
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,603,539 3,611,966 -8,427 4,103,984
Federal Employees (UCFE) 30,777 30,504 +273 47,113
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,352 43,235 -883 40,568
EUC 20083 2,932,561 2,926,135 +6,426 3,577,663
Extended Benefits4 570,791 571,848 -1,057 958,537
State Additional Benefits 5 4,524 4,738 -214 6,976
STC / Workshare 6 38,659 43,088 -4,429 52,918
TOTAL 7,223,203 7,231,514 -8,311 8,787,759
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
GA -1,105 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA +16,490 Layoffs in the service industry.
PA +6,764 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
MI +5,636 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
KY +5,263 No comment.
IN +5,084 layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and construction industries.
IL +4,206 Layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, and construction industries.
OH +4,084 Layoffs in the transportation, manufacturing, and construction industries.
NJ +3,838 Layoffs in the educational service industry.
WI +3,580 No comment.
MO +3,236 Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries.
IA +2,610 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR +2,192 No comment.
KS +2,027 No comment.
WA +2,025 Layoffs in the manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries.
MD +1,901 No comment.
CT +1,566 No comment.
TN +1,212 Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, and construction industries.
NC +1,040 Layoffs in the construction, textile, electronic, and transportation industries.
MN +1,021 No comment.

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/