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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 521,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 554,000. The 4-week moving average was 539,750, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised average of 548,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 26, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 26 was 6,040,000, a decrease of 72,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,112,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,144,250, a decrease of 15,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,160,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.677 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 449,375 in the week ending Oct. 3, an increase of 3,757 from the previous week. There were 426,789 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent during the week ending Sept. 26, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,994,971, a decrease of 77,884 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,057,698.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Sept. 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,499 in the week ending Sept. 26, an increase of 44 from the prior week. There were 2,387 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 91 from the preceding week.

There were 19,523 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 19, a decrease of 885 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,550, a decrease of 139 from the prior week.

States reported 3,321,210 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Sept. 19, an increase of 45,997 from the prior week. There were 1,140,558 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 19 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.3), Nevada (5.2), Pennsylvania (5.0), California (4.9), Michigan (4.8), Wisconsin (4.7), Arkansas (4.6), North Carolina (4.6), and South Carolina (4.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 26 were in California (+4,467), Ohio (+3,421), Illinois (+1,815), Missouri (+1,049), and Tennessee (+1,048), while the largest decreases were in New York (-2,253), North Carolina (-1,609), South Carolina (-1,159), Arkansas (-818), and Florida (-734).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 3

Sept. 26

Change

Sept. 19

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

521,000

554,000

-33,000

534,000

478,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

449,375

445,618

+3,757

437,543

426,789

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

539,750

548,750

-9,000

554,250

478,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 26

Sept. 19

Change

Sept. 12

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,040,000

6,112,000

-72,000

6,160,000

3,702,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,994,971

5,072,855

-77,884

5,223,904

3,057,698

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,144,250

6,160,000

-15,750

6,193,750

3,606,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.5%

4.6%

-0.1

4.6%

2.8%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.8%

3.8%

0.0

3.9%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 26

Sept. 19

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,499

1,455

+44

1,105

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,387

2,296

+91

1,682

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 19

Sept. 12

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,523

20,408

-885

13,324

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,550

30,689

-139

22,170

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

465,295

443,078

+22,217

1,557

EUC 20083

3,321,210

3,275,213

+45,997

1,140,558

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 133,078,480 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/26/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-2,253

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

NC

-1,609

Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, fabricated metals, chemical, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

SC

-1,159

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TN

+1,048

Layoffs in the transportation equipment, industrial machinery, electrical equipment, and rubber/plastics industries.

MO

+1,049

No comment.

IL

+1,815

Layoffs in the trade and service industries.

OH

+3,421

Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

CA

+4,467

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
October 8, 2009