SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 402,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 404,000. The 4-week moving average was 405,500, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 403,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Oct. 15, 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 15 was 3,645,000, a decrease of 96,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,741,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,701,000, a decrease of 26,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,727,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 374,231 in the week ending Oct. 22, an increase of 17,007 from the previous week. There were 408,489 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Oct. 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,149,676, an increase of 14,906 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,769,438.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 8 was 6,681,507, a decrease of 14,634 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, 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 October 8.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,845 in the week ending Oct. 15, a decrease of 1,533 from the prior week. There were 2,724 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 688 from the preceding week.
There were 26,697 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 8, an increase of 1,811 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,883, an increase of 922 from the prior week.
States reported 2,921,937 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 8, a decrease of 45,117 from the prior week. There were 3,779,795 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 October 8 were in Puerto Rico (4.1), Alaska (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.5), Oregon (3.4), California (3.3), New Jersey (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Connecticut (3.1), Arkansas (2.9), Illinois (2.9), New Mexico (2.9), and Wisconsin (2.9).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 15 were in Puerto Rico (+1,286), Wisconsin (+1,193), South Carolina (+1,189), Oregon (+416), and Nebraska (+241) while the largest decreases were in California (-8,942), New York (-7,273), Texas (-3,489), Pennsylvania (-3,258), and Georgia (-2,740).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Oct. 22 Oct. 15 Change Oct. 8 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 402,000 404,000 -2,000 411,000 435,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 374,231 357,224 +17,007 405,906 408,489 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 405,500 403,750 +1,750 409,750 449,750 WEEK ENDING Advance Oct. 15 Oct. 8 Change Oct. 1 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,645,000 3,741,000 -96,000 3,693,000 4,353,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,149,676 3,134,770 +14,906 3,113,245 3,769,438 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,701,000 3,727,750 -26,750 3,729,750 4,407,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 3.0% -0.1 2.9% 3.5% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 3.0% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Oct. 15 Oct. 8 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 2,845 4,378 -1,533 5,440 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,724 3,412 -688 2,598 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Oct. 8 Oct. 1 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,124,994 3,103,709 +21,285 3,700,704 Federal Employees (UCFE) 26,697 24,886 +1,811 37,306 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,883 38,961 +922 41,686 EUC 20083 2,921,937 2,967,054 -45,117 3,779,795 Extended Benefits4 526,435 517,755 +8,680 875,569 State Additional Benefits 5 4,611 4,628 -17 4,078 STC / Workshare 6 36,950 39,148 -2,198 58,481 TOTAL 6,681,507 6,696,141 -14,634 8,497,619 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 10/15/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -8,942 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
NY -7,273 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, service, and public administration industries.
TX -3,489 No comment.
PA -3,258 No comment.
GA -2,740 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, manufacturing, and healthcare industries.
IL -2,525 No comment.
OH -2,265 No comment.
MD -2,028 No comment.
WA -1,990 No comment.
NJ -1,625 Fewer layoffs in the trade, transportation, manufacturing, service, and healthcare industries.
AL -1,575 Fewer layoffs in the service, retail, and manufacturing industries.
MA -1,320 KY -1,292 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment PR +1,286 No comment.
WI +1,193 No comment.
SC +1,189 Layoffs in the manufacturing 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/
