SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 352,000, a decrease of 50,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 402,000. The 4-week moving average was 379,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 382,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending January 7, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 7, was 3,432,000, a decrease of 215,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,647,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,576,250, a decrease of 34,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,610,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 521,613 in the week ending Jan. 14, a decrease of 124,606 from the previous week. There were 549,688 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending January 7, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,076,626, a decrease of 84,257 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,652,805.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 31 was 7,826,665, an increase of 493,566 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 December 31.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,651 in the week ending January 7, an increase of 1,006 from the prior week. There were 2,578 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 683 from the preceding week.
There were 31,866 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 31, an increase of 2,003 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,291, an increase of 194 from the prior week.
States reported 3,026,855 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 31, an increase of 100,179 from the prior week. There were 3,719,607 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending December 31 were in Alaska (6.9), Connecticut (6.6), Oregon (5.0), Wisconsin (4.9), Pennsylvania (4.7), Idaho (4.5), Rhode Island (4.5), Montana (4.3), New Jersey (4.2), Arkansas (4.0), Illinois (4.0), and Washington (4.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 7 were in New York (+29,389), California (+22,168), Texas (+13,946), North Carolina (+7,865), and Georgia (+7,225) while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-7,657), Michigan (-5,208), Iowa (-4,675), New Jersey (-4,667), and Kentucky (-3,577).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 14 Jan. 7 Change Dec. 31 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 352,000 402,000 -50,000 375,000 415,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 521,613 646,219 -124,606 540,057 549,688 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 379,000 382,500 -3,500 374,000 418,500 WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 7 Dec. 31 Change Dec. 24 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,432,000 3,647,000 -215,000 3,609,000 3,950,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,076,626 4,160,883 -84,257 3,779,025 4,652,805 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,576,250 3,610,250 -34,000 3,605,500 4,041,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.9% -0.2 2.9% 3.1% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.2% 3.3% -0.1 3.0% 3.7% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Jan. 7 Dec. 31 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 2,651 1,645 +1,006 5,475 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,578 1,895 +683 2,860 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Dec. 31 Dec. 24 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 4,151,559 3,771,703 +379,856 4,776,093 Federal Employees (UCFE) 31,866 29,863 +2,003 48,727 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,291 42,097 +194 41,918 EUC 20083 3,026,855 2,926,676 +100,179 3,719,607 Extended Benefits4 533,172 528,184 +4,988 997,085 State Additional Benefits 5 3,850 3,891 -41 6,977 STC / Workshare 6 37,072 30,685 +6,387 58,107 TOTAL 7,826,665 7,333,099 +493,566 9,648,514 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 126,579,970 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 paid, 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 01/07/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment WI -7,657 No comment.
MI -5,208 No comment.
IA -4,675 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ -4,667 Fewer layoffs in the service, transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
KY -3,577 No comment.
AR -1,563 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY +29,389 Layoffs in the transportation, educational, and construction industries.
CA +22,168 Layoffs in the service, agriculture, and fishing industries.
TX +13,946 Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.
NC +7,865 Layoff in the non classifiable establishments, textile, rubber, plastic, and electronic industries.
GA +7,225 Layoffs in the manufacturing, service, trade, and construction industries.
PA +6,441 Layoffs in the construction, service, and retail industries.
TN +6,289 Layoffs in the service, specialty trade contractors, construction, service, and recreation industries.
AL +4,612 Layoffs in the transportation, construction, and wood product industries.
FL +3,744 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries.
SC +3,273 Layoffs in the manufacturing and textile industries.
VA +3,196 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WA +2,646 Layoffs in the manufacturing, retail, transportation and warehousing, finance and insurance, and public administration industries.
IL +2,573 Layoffs in the construction, service, and trade industries.
MO +2,367 Layoffs in the service, retail, and construction industries.
AZ +2,364 No comment.
AK +2,204 No comment.
CO +1,799 No comment.
IN +1,454 Layoffs in the manufacturing and retail industries.
UT +1,423 Layoffs due to the holiday.
CT +1,416 No comment.
NV +1,271 Layoff due to the holiday.
ME +1,173 Layoffs in the construction,retail, and service industries.
LA +1,153 No comment.
WV +1,109 Layoffs in the agriculture, forest, fishing, mining, construction, retail, transportation and warehousing, finance and insurance, public administration, and service industries.
MS +1,017 No comment.
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/
