News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 12-25-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 12, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending January 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 399,000, an increase of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 375,000. The 4-week moving average was 381,750, an increase of 7,750 from the previous week's revised average of 374,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending December 31, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 31, was 3,628,000, an increase of 19,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,609,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,605,000, unchanged from the preceding week's revised average.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 642,381 in the week ending January 7, an increase of 102,314 from the previous week. There were 773,499 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending December 31, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,139,988, an increase of 360,884 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.8 percent and the volume was 4,790,155.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 24 was 7,333,213, an increase of 111,010 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 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,640 in the week ending December 31, a decrease of 452 from the prior week. There were 1,896 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 436 from the preceding week.

There were 29,868 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 24, a decrease of 909 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,096, a decrease of 256 from the prior week.

States reported 2,926,676 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 24, a decrease of 5,885 from the prior week. There were 3,773,092 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending December 24 were in Alaska (7.4), Oregon (4.5), Idaho (4.1), Montana (4.1), Pennsylvania (4.1), Puerto Rico (4.1), Wisconsin (4.1), Nevada (3.8), New Jersey (3.8), Arkansas (3.7), Illinois (3.7), Michigan (3.7), and Rhode Island (3.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 31 were in Michigan (+10,364), Wisconsin (+10,203), Pennsylvania (+8,135), New Jersey (+7,989), and New York (+7,746) while the largest decreases were in California (-23,969), Illinois (-4,696), Texas (-2,385), Nevada (-1,590), and Kansas (-1,341).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 7 Dec. 31 Change Dec. 24 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 399,000 375,000 +24,000 387,000 437,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 642,381 540,067 +102,314 497,689 773,499
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 381,750 374,000 +7,750 376,500 420,500
WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 31 Dec. 24 Change Dec. 17 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,628,000 3,609,000 +19,000 3,616,000 3,946,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,139,988 3,779,104 +360,884 3,612,458 4,790,155
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,605,000 3,605,000 0 3,602,500 4,076,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.9% 3.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.3% 3.0% +0.3 2.9% 3.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 31
Dec. 24
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,640 2,092 -452 1,925
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,896 2,332 -436 2,043
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 24
Dec. 17
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,771,782 3,602,539 +169,243 4,404,756
Federal Employees (UCFE) 29,868 30,777 -909 49,772
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,096 42,352 -256 41,865
EUC 20083 2,926,676 2,932,561 -5,885 3,773,092
Extended Benefits4 528,215 570,791 -42,576 874,172
State Additional Benefits 5 3,891 4,524 -633 6,549
STC / Workshare 6 30,685 38,659 -7,974 44,717
TOTAL 7,333,213 7,222,203 +111,010 9,194,923
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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.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: http://ows.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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/24/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -23,969 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
IL -4,696 No comment.
TX -2,385 No comment.
NV -1,590 Fewer layoffs due to the holiday.
KS -1,341 No comment.
FL -1,059 Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, construction, trade, retail, and service industries.
NM -1,041 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI +10,364 No comment.
WI +10,203 No comment.
PA +8,135 Layoffs in the transportation, construction, wood product, and metal industries.
NJ +7,989 Layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, manufacturing, retail, and construction industries.
NY +7,746 Layoffs in the service, transportation, and construction industries.
GA +7,707 Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, trade, and construction industries.
NC +6,849 Layoffs in the construction, textile, service, apparel, lumber and wood products, and furniture and fixture industries.
AL +4,687 Layoffs in the textile, service, and apparel industries.
VA +2,999 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MA +2,926 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
CT +2,261 No comment.
OR +1,778 No comment.
AR +1,702 Layoffs in the manufacturing, and fitness and recreational industries.
SC +1,622 Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.
MD +1,221 No comment.
IA +1,167 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH +1,126 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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