SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 362,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 359,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending Dec. 22, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 22 was 3,245,000, an increase of 44,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,201,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,224,250, an increase of 6,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,217,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 495,588 in the week ending Dec. 29, an increase of 40,459 from the previous week. There were 540,057 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending Dec. 22, a increase 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 3,293,218, an increase of 43,722 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,779,025.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 15 was 5,402,987, a decrease of 68,727 from the previous week. There were 7,223,309 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2011.
Extended Benefits were not available in any state during the week ending December 15.
Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,732 in the week ending Dec. 22, an increase of 52 from the prior week. There were 2,575 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 1 from the preceding week.
There were 22,220 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 15, an increase of 1,125 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,789, a decrease of 772 from the prior week.
States reported 2,065,706 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 15, a decrease of 30,537 from the prior week. There were 2,932,561 persons claiming EUC 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 15 were in Alaska (6.6), Puerto Rico (3.9), New Jersey (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Montana (3.6), California (3.4), Nevada (3.4), Oregon (3.4), Connecticut (3.3), and Wisconsin (3.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 22 were in Ohio (+8,795), Michigan (+6,641), Pennsylvania (+5,530), Kentucky (+4,745), and Massachusetts (+4,330), while the largest decreases were in California (-11,789), West Virginia (-473), Florida (-450), Arizona (-192) and South Dakota (-186).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 29 Dec. 22 Change Dec. 15 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 372,000 362,000 +10,000 362,000 383,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 495,588 455,129 +40,459 401,429 540,057 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 360,000 359,750 +250 368,000 377,000 WEEK ENDING Advance Dec. 22 Dec. 15 Change Dec. 8 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,245,000 3,201,000 +44,000 3,238,000 3,606,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,293,218 3,249,496 +43,722 3,244,564 3,779,025 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,224,250 3,217,750 +6,500 3,243,750 3,596,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 2.9% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.6% 2.5% +0.1 2.5% 3.0% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Dec. 22 Dec. 15 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,732 1,680 +52 2,092 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,575 2,574 +1 2,332 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Dec. 15 Dec. 8 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,243,617 3,238,182 +5,435 3,603,495 Federal Employees (UCFE) 22,220 21,095 +1,125 30,787 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,789 40,561 -772 42,374 EUC 20083 2,065,706 2,096,243 -30,537 2,932,561 Extended Benefits4 2,322 44,610 -42,288 570,908 State Additional Benefits 5 6,014 6,056 -42 4,525 STC / Workshare 6 23,319 24,967 -1,648 38,659 TOTAL 5,402,987 5,471,714 -68,727 7,223,309 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 128,066,082 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 12/22/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -11,789 Fewer layoffs in all sectors, with the largest decrease in the service industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment OH +8,795 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
MI +6,641 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA +5,530 Layoffs in the entertainment and accommodations, and food service industries.
KY +4,745 No comment.
MA +4,330 Layoffs in the educational services, construction, transportation, retail, food service and manufacturing industries.
NJ +3,710 Layoffs in the educational services, construction, manufacturing, and real estate and rental industries.
IL +3,445 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
VA +3,366 No comment.
WI +2,833 No comment.
NY +2,401 Layoffs in the construction, food service, professional, scientific, and technical service industries.
CT +2,084 No comment.
WA +2,008 Layoffs in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and construction industries.
IA +1,648 Layoffs in construction and manufacturing industries.
NC +1,394 Layoffs in the business services and construction industries.
MD +1,353 No comment.
MO +1,311 Layoffs in the accommodation and food service industries.
OK +1,198 No comment.
IN +1,175 Layoffs in the construction and transportation manufacturing industries.
OR +1,150 Layoffs in seasonal industries.
AR +1,092 No comment.
TN +1,030 Layoffs in the administrative and supporting service, food service, specialty trade contractors, metal, and construction 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/
