SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 367,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 379,000. The 4-week moving average was 375,750, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 377,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Jan. 21, a decrease 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. 21, was 3,437,000, a decrease of 130,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,567,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,527,500, a decrease of 43,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,570,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 415,094 in the week ending Jan. 28, a decrease of 1,786 from the previous week. There were 464,775 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending Jan. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,042,107, a decrease of 27,544 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,632,950.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 14 was 7,670,452, an increase of 345 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 14.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,172 in the week ending Jan. 21, a decrease of 115 from the prior week. There were 2,448 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 596 from the preceding week.
There were 30,962 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 14, an increase of 168 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,496, a decrease of 550 from the prior week.
States reported 3,022,925 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 14, an increase of 100,392 from the prior week. There were 3,656,624 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 14 were in Alaska (6.7), Pennsylvania (5.0), Montana (4.7),Wisconsin (4.7), Oregon (4.6), Idaho (4.5), Illinois (4.4), Puerto Rico (4.4), New Jersey (4.3), and Rhode Island (4.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 21 were in Washington (+1,616), Puerto Rico (+1,589), Oklahoma (+398) while the largest decreases were in California (-20,698), New York (-9,433), Pennsylvania (-8,481), Michigan (-6,812), and North Carolina (-4,875).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 28 Jan. 21 Change Jan. 14 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 367,000 379,000 -12,000 355,000 424,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 415,094 416,880 -1,786 525,422 464,775 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 375,750 377,750 -2,000 379,750 429,750 WEEK ENDING Advance Jan. 21 Jan. 14 Change Jan. 7 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,437,000 3,567,000 -130,000 3,459,000 3,973,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,042,107 4,069,651 -27,544 4,109,127 4,632,950 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,527,500 3,570,500 -43,000 3,583,000 3,972,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.8% -0.1 2.7% 3.2% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.2% 3.2% 0.0 3.2% 3.7% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Jan. 21 Jan. 14 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 2,172 2,287 -115 2,629 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,448 3,044 -596 2,448 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Jan. 14 Jan. 7 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 4,060,581 4,099,229 -38,648 4,601,626 Federal Employees (UCFE) 30,962 30,794 +168 49,282 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,496 43,046 -550 40,419 EUC 20083 3,022,925 2,922,533 +100,392 3,656,624 Extended Benefits4 474,252 531,507 -57,255 898,042 State Additional Benefits 5 3,850 3,802 +48 6,885 STC / Workshare 6 35,386 39,196 -3,810 49,450 TOTAL 7,670,452 7,670,107 +345 9,302,328 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 01/21/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -20,698 Shortened workweek due to holiday on 01/16/2012, fewer layoffs in all industries, with the highest concentration in the service industry.
NY -9,433 Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, and service industries.
PA -8,481 Fewer layoffs in the construction, professional, scientific and technology, entertainment, and service industries.
MI -6,812 No comment.
NC -4,875 Fewer layoffs in the non classifiable establishments, transportation, furniture and fixtures, food and kindred products, textile, service, mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals, construction, machinery, and computer equipment industries.
FL -4,725 Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries.
GA -4,561 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, trade, administrative, and service industries.
NJ -4,293 Fewer layoffs in the construction, retail, administrative, service, health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and wholesale trade industries.
TX -4,031 Shortened workweek due to holiday on 01/16/2012.
OH -3,582 No comment.
SC -3,261 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO -3,223 Fewer layoffs in the administrative service, retail, and service industries.
IL -2,942 No comment.
IN -2,399 No comment.
WI -2,288 No comment.
MA -2,249 Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, retail, transportation, administrative service, and service industries.
CT -1,967 No comment.
TN -1,942 No comment.
AR -1,401 No comment.
MD -1,347 No comment.
AL -1,249 Fewer layoffs in the metal manufacturing, and administrative support services, and retail industries.
AZ -1,071 No comment.
ID -1,070 No comment.
ME -1,053 Fewer layoffs in the construction, administration and waste, and service industries.
MN -1,042 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment WA +1,616 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, transportation and warehousing, and retail industries.
PR +1,589 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/
