SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 521,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 554,000. The 4-week moving average was 539,750, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised average of 548,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 26, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 26 was 6,040,000, a decrease of 72,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,112,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,144,250, a decrease of 15,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,160,000.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.677 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 449,375 in the week ending Oct. 3, an increase of 3,757 from the previous week. There were 426,789 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent during the week ending Sept. 26, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,994,971, a decrease of 77,884 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,057,698.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Sept. 19.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,499 in the week ending Sept. 26, an increase of 44 from the prior week. There were 2,387 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 91 from the preceding week.
There were 19,523 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 19, a decrease of 885 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,550, a decrease of 139 from the prior week.
States reported 3,321,210 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Sept. 19, an increase of 45,997 from the prior week. There were 1,140,558 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 19 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.3), Nevada (5.2), Pennsylvania (5.0), California (4.9), Michigan (4.8), Wisconsin (4.7), Arkansas (4.6), North Carolina (4.6), and South Carolina (4.5).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 26 were in California (+4,467), Ohio (+3,421), Illinois (+1,815), Missouri (+1,049), and Tennessee (+1,048), while the largest decreases were in New York (-2,253), North Carolina (-1,609), South Carolina (-1,159), Arkansas (-818), and Florida (-734).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Oct. 3 Sept. 26 Change Sept. 19 Year Initial Claims (SA) 521,000 554,000 -33,000 534,000 478,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 449,375 445,618 +3,757 437,543 426,789 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 539,750 548,750 -9,000 554,250 478,000 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Sept. 26 Sept. 19 Change Sept. 12 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,040,000 6,112,000 -72,000 6,160,000 3,702,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,994,971 5,072,855 -77,884 5,223,904 3,057,698 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,144,250 6,160,000 -15,750 6,193,750 3,606,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.5% 4.6% -0.1 4.6% 2.8% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.8% 3.8% 0.0 3.9% 2.3% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Sept. 26 Sept. 19 Change Year Federal Employees 1,499 1,455 +44 1,105 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,387 2,296 +91 1,682 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Sept. 19 Sept. 12 Change Year Federal Employees 19,523 20,408 -885 13,324 Newly Discharged Veterans 30,550 30,689 -139 22,170 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 3,000 Extended Benefits 465,295 443,078 +22,217 1,557 EUC 20083 3,321,210 3,275,213 +45,997 1,140,558 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 133,078,480 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/26/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY -2,253 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
NC -1,609 Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, fabricated metals, chemical, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
SC -1,159 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment TN +1,048 Layoffs in the transportation equipment, industrial machinery, electrical equipment, and rubber/plastics industries.
MO +1,049 No comment.
IL +1,815 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
OH +3,421 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
CA +4,467 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service 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 http://www.ows.doleta.gov/
