SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 377,000, an increase of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 356,000. The 4-week moving average was 377,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 380,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending Jan. 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 14, was 3,554,000, an increase of 88,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,466,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,569,000, a decrease of 15,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,584,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 414,122 in the week ending Jan. 21, a decrease of 112,817 from the previous week. There were 485,950 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending Jan. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,054,631, a decrease of 62,545 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,614,149.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 7 was 7,638,233, a decrease of 188,612 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 January 07.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,293 in the week ending Jan. 14, a decrease of 358 from the prior week. There were 3,054 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 446 from the preceding week.
There were 30,859 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending January 7, a decrease of 1,007 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 43,056, an increase of 765 from the prior week.
States reported 2,882,033 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending January 7, a decrease of 144,822 from the prior week. There were 3,783,493 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 January 7 were in Alaska (7.3), Wisconsin (4.9), Oregon (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.7), Puerto Rico (4.7), Idaho (4.5), Michigan (4.5), Montana (4.5), New Jersey (4.3), Connecticut (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.2).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 14 were in Florida (+2,711), California (+1,682), Iowa (+596), West Virginia (+571), and District of Columbia (+115) while the largest decreases were in New York (-27,713), Pennsylvania (-11,687), North Carolina (-9,516), Georgia (-9,496), and Alabama (-7,639).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 21 Jan. 14 Change Jan. 7 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 377,000 356,000 +21,000 402,000 443,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 414,122 526,939 -112,817 646,219 485,950 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 377,500 380,000 -2,500 382,500 428,250 WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 14 Jan. 7 Change Dec. 31 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,554,000 3,466,000 +88,000 3,647,000 4,019,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,054,631 4,117,176 -62,545 4,161,063 4,614,149 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,569,000 3,584,750 -15,750 3,610,250 4,010,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.7% +0.1 2.9% 3.2% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.2% 3.3% -0.1 3.3% 3.7% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Jan. 14 Jan. 7 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 2,293 2,651 -358 3,680 Newly Discharged Veterans 3,054 2,608 +446 2,690 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Jan. 7 Dec. 31 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 4,107,039 4,151,739 -44,700 4,640,053 Federal Employees (UCFE) 30,859 31,866 -1,007 50,847 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 43,056 42,291 +765 42,681 EUC 20083 2,882,033 3,026,855 -144,822 3,783,493 Extended Benefits4 531,871 533,172 -1,301 835,172 State Additional Benefits 5 3,746 3,850 -104 6,644 STC / Workshare 6 39,629 37,072 +2,557 52,233 TOTAL 7,638,233 7,826,845 -188,612 9,411,123 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 01/14/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY -27,713 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, educational, and construction industries.
PA -11,687 No comment.
NC -9,516 Fewer layoffs in non-classified establishments, textile, food and kindred, furniture and fixtures, service, lumber and wood products, construction, electronic, rubber products, transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
GA -9,496 Fewer layoffs in the service, construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
AL -7,639 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, administrative, construction, textile, and apparel industries.
TX -6,880 No comment.
VA -4,421 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WI -3,935 No comment.
MO -3,626 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, administrative, and service industries.
TN -3,314 No comment.
MI -3,309 No comment.
IN -3,171 No comment.
WA -3,139 No comment.
KY -2,888 No comment.
OH -2,822 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MN -2,407 No comment.
NJ -2,400 Fewer layoffs in the construction, administrative, service, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and professional and technology industries.
MA -2,229 Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, transportation, administrative, and service industries.
IL -1,959 No comment.
MD -1,463 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment FL +2,711 Layoffs in the service, agriculture, construction, and retail industries.
CA +1,682 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/