SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 404,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 405,000. The 4-week moving average was 408,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 415,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Oct. 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 1 was 3,670,000, a decrease of 55,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,725,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,724,000, a decrease of 21,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,745,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 398,836 in the week ending October 8, an increase of 66,442 from the previous week. There were 462,667 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Oct. 1, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,093,486, a decrease of 72,423 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9 percent and the volume was 3,705,947.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending September 24 was 6,821,585, a decrease of 39,203 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, 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 September 24.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,424 in the week ending Oct. 1, an increase of 213 from the prior week. There were 2,748 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 18 from the preceding week.
There were 24,928 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 24, an increase of 1,060 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,134, an increase of 515 from the prior week.
States reported 3,016,035 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Sept. 24, a decrease of 11,412 from the prior week. There were 3,888,001 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 September 24 were in Puerto Rico (4.6), Alaska (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.6), California (3.4), New Jersey (3.4), Oregon (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Connecticut (3.1), Arkansas (3.0), Illinois (2.9), and South Carolina (2.9).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 1 were in North Carolina (+3,354), California (+2,527), Indiana (+866), Washington (+758), and Illinois (+754) while the largest decreases were in Alabama (-1,883), Michigan (-1,469), Florida (-1,175), Pennsylvania (-966), and Georgia (-646).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Oct. 8 Oct. 1 Change Sept. 24 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 404,000 405,000 -1,000 395,000 463,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 398,836 332,394 +66,442 328,073 462,667 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 408,000 415,000 -7,000 418,000 456,250 WEEK ENDING Advance Oct. 1 Sept. 24 Change Sept. 17 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,670,000 3,725,000 -55,000 3,752,000 4,407,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,093,486 3,165,909 -72,423 3,207,559 3,705,947 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,724,000 3,745,250 -21,250 3,748,750 4,450,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 3.0% -0.1 3.0% 3.5% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 2.9% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Oct. 1 Sept. 24 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 2,424 2,211 +213 4,844 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,748 2,730 +18 2,695 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Sept. 24 Sept. 17 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,155,266 3,196,242 -40,976 3,766,398 Federal Employees (UCFE) 24,928 23,868 +1,060 32,016 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,134 38,619 +515 41,941 EUC 20083 3,016,035 3,027,447 -11,412 3,888,001 Extended Benefits4 537,165 523,469 +13,696 907,298 State Additional Benefits 5 4,693 4,538 +155 4,206 STC / Workshare 6 44,364 46,605 -2,241 55,266 TOTAL 6,821,585 6,860,788 -39,203 8,695,126 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.xls4 - 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 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 UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/1/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment AL -1,883 Fewer layoffs in the textile, and service industries.
MI -1,469 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL -1,175 Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, service, retail, and construction industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA +2,527 Layoffs in the service, fishing, agriculture, and forestry industries.
NC +3,354 Layoffs in the construction, transportation, and warehousing 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/
