SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 462,000. The 4-week moving average was 481,250, a decrease of 14,250 from the previous week's revised average of 495,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the week ending Nov. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.1 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 21 was 5,465,000, an increase of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,437,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,541,500, a decrease of 75,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,617,250.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.832 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,989 in the week ending Nov. 28, a decrease of 78,263 from the previous week. There were 535,730 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent during the week ending Nov. 21, a decrease of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,787,291, a decrease of 296,052 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,652,990.
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 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 Nov. 14.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,269 in the week ending Nov. 21, a decrease of 101 from the prior week. There were 2,330 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 368 from the preceding week.
There were 24,523 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 14, an increase of 1,389 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,359, an increase of 1,752 from the prior week.
States reported 3,859,553 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 14, an increase of 265,300 from the prior week. There were 777,393 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include first, second, and third tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 14 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.9), Alaska (5.5), California (5.2), Nevada (5.2), Michigan (5.1), Pennsylvania (5.0), Wisconsin (5.0), North Carolina (4.8), and Washington (4.7).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 21 were in California (+14,796), Illinois (+6,168), North Carolina (+5,557), Pennsylvania (+5,285), and Texas (+3,500), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-1,242), Indiana (-987), Hawaii (-195), Oregon (-167), and the Virgin Islands (-10).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 28 Nov. 21 Change Nov. 14 Year Initial Claims (SA) 457,000 462,000 -5,000 501,000 517,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 460,989 539,252 -78,263 475,700 535,730 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 481,250 495,500 -14,250 513,000 519,750 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 21 Nov. 14 Change Nov. 7 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 5,465,000 5,437,000 +28,000 5,613,000 4,104,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,787,291 5,083,343 -296,052 4,883,537 3,652,990 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 5,541,500 5,617,250 -75,750 5,712,250 4,019,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.1% 4.1% 0.0 4.3% 3.1% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.6% 3.9% -0.3 3.7% 2.7% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 21 Nov. 14 Change Year Federal Employees 2,269 2,370 -101 1,956 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,330 1,962 +368 1,830 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 14 Nov. 7 Change Year Federal Employees 24,523 23,134 +1,389 15,546 Newly Discharged Veterans 36,359 34,607 +1,752 24,423 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 3,000 Extended Benefits 597,688 539,531 +58,157 22,125 EUC 20083 3,859,553 3,594,253 +265,300 777,393 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 131,823,421 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, and third tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/21/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MI -1,242 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CO +1,083 No comment.
MA +1,172 Layoffs in the construction industry.
TN +1,194 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
GA +1,325 Layoffs in the construction and trade industries.
KS +1,330 No comment.
OH +1,491 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY +1,589 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
SC +1,590 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AL +1,610 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
VA +1,666 No comment.
WI +1,877 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY +1,882 Layoffs in the mining and manufacturing industries.
AR +1,965 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL +2,154 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
TX +3,500 layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA +5,285 Layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
NC +5,557 Layoffs in the construction, trade, transportation, lumber/wood, mining, and petroleum industries.
IL +6,168 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
CA +14,796 Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service industry.
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/
