SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 474,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 457,000. The 4-week moving average was 473,750, a decrease of 7,750 from the previous week's revised average of 481,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.9 percent for the week ending Nov. 28, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.1 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 28 was 5,157,000, a decrease of 303,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,460,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,416,500, a decrease of 123,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,540,000.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.767 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 664,865 in the week ending Dec. 5, an increase of 204,703 from the previous week. There were 759,531 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent during the week ending Nov. 28, an increase of 0.5 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,373,871, an increase of 591,085 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,493,526.
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. 21.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,780 in the week ending Nov. 28, a decrease of 488 from the prior week. There were 1,372 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 963 from the preceding week.
There were 23,344 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 21, a decrease of 1,177 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,605, a decrease of 2,753 from the prior week.
States reported 4,178,780 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 21, an increase of 327,729 from the prior week. There were 729,256 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. 21 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.6), Alaska (5.5), Nevada (5.1), Wisconsin (4.9), Washington (4.8), Michigan (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.7), Arkansas (4.5), Idaho (4.5), and North Carolina (4.5).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 28 were in Wisconsin (+8,067), Kansas (+3,825), Missouri (+3,307), Iowa (+2,789), and Indiana (+2,162), while the largest decreases were in California (-28,672), Texas (-9,519), North Carolina (-8,873), Florida (-7,214), and Illinois (-6,610).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Dec. 5 Nov. 28 Change Nov. 21 Year Initial Claims (SA) 474,000 457,000 +17,000 463,000 552,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 664,865 460,162 +204,703 540,104 759,531 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 473,750 481,500 -7,750 495,750 530,500 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 28 Nov. 21 Change Nov. 14 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 5,157,000 5,460,000 -303,000 5,436,000 4,354,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 5,373,871 4,782,786 +591,085 5,082,476 4,493,526 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 5,416,500 5,540,000 -123,500 5,617,000 4,124,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.9% 4.1% -0.2 4.1% 3.3% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.1% 3.6% +0.5 3.9% 3.4% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 28 Nov. 21 Change Year Federal Employees 1,780 2,268 -488 1,665 Newly Discharged Veterans 1,372 2,335 -963 1,251 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Nov. 21 Nov. 14 Change Year Federal Employees 23,344 24,521 -1,177 15,655 Newly Discharged Veterans 33,605 36,358 -2,753 22,286 Railroad Retirement Board 11,000 11,000 0 3,000 Extended Benefits 407,455 597,688 -190,233 23,569 EUC 20083 4,178,780 3,851,051 +327,729 729,256 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 11/28/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -28,672 Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the service industry.
TX -9,519 Fewer layoffs in the service, finance, and manufacturing industries.
NC -8,873 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and transportation industries.
FL -7,214 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
IL -6,610 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
VA -3,458 Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
GA -3,434 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
NY -3,366 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
SC -2,822 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN -2,626 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
WA -2,418 No comment.
AL -2,394 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
NJ -2,388 Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MI -2,310 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
AZ -2,107 No comment.
OK -1,613 No comment.
NV -1,603 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
CO -1,515 No comment.
MD -1,379 No comment.
LA -1,017 No comment.
CT -1,010 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment AR +1,063 No comment.
ID +1,590 No comment.
IN +2,162 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
IA +2,789 No comment.
MO +3,307 No comment.
KS +3,825 No comment.
WI +8,067 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing 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/
