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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 466,000, a decrease of 35,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 501,000. The 4-week moving average was 496,500, a decrease of 16,500 from the previous week's revised average of 513,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the week ending Nov. 14, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 14 was 5,423,000, a decrease of 190,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,613,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,613,750, a decrease of 98,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,712,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.866 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 543,926 in the week ending Nov. 21, an increase of 68,080 from the previous week. There were 609,138 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent during the week ending Nov. 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,070,712, an increase of 187,642 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,782,040.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, 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 Nov. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,346 in the week ending Nov. 14, an increase of 45 from the prior week. There were 2,026 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 408 from the preceding week.

There were 22,941 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 7, a decrease of 1,962 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 34,598, a decrease of 301 from the prior week.

States reported 3,639,036 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 7, an increase of 16,370 from the prior week. There were 766,565 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 Nov. 7 were in Puerto Rico (6.2 percent), Oregon (5.5), Alaska (5.1), Nevada (5.1), Pennsylvania (4.9), Wisconsin (4.9), Arkansas (4.7), California (4.7), Michigan (4.6), North Carolina (4.6), and Washington (4.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 14 were in Florida (+1,313), Indiana (+607), Hawaii (+278), and North Dakota (+81), while the largest decreases were in California (-7,987), Texas (-4,710), Pennsylvania (-4,321), Wisconsin (-2,716), and Ohio (-2,486).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 21

Nov. 14

Change

Nov. 7

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

466,000

501,000

-35,000

505,000

520,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

543,926

475,846

+68,080

531,743

609,138

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

496,500

513,000

-16,500

520,500

512,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 14

Nov. 7

Change

Oct. 31

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

5,423,000

5,613,000

-190,000

5,651,000

4,019,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,070,712

4,883,070

+187,642

4,961,786

3,782,040

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,613,750

5,712,250

-98,500

5,795,250

3,958,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.1%

4.3%

-0.2

4.3%

3.0%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.8%

3.7%

+0.1

3.8%

2.8%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 14

Nov. 7

Change

Year

Federal Employees

2,346

2,301

+45

1,898

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,026

2,434

-408

1,585

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 7

Oct. 31

Change

Year

Federal Employees

22,941

24,903

-1,962

14,827

Newly Discharged Veterans

34,598

34,899

-301

23,317

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

539,531

574,155

-34,624

19,650

EUC 20083

3,639,036

3,622,666

+16,370

766,565

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 131,823,421 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/14/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-7,987

Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

TX

-4,710

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

PA

-4,321

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

WI

-2,716

Fewer layoffs in the service, public administration, and manufacturing industries.

OH

-2,486

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

MO

-2,337

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

TN

-2,227

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

NJ

-2,220

Fewer layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

IL

-1,975

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

GA

-1,945

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

SC

-1,675

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MA

-1,639

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

AL

-1,631

Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.

IA

-1,614

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NC

-1,611

Fewer layoffs in the construction and rubber/plastics industries.

AR

-1,568

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

KY

-1,503

No comment.

VA

-1,461

No comment.

MD

-1,266

No comment.

NY

-1,135

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

MI

-1,133

No comment.

CO

-1,071

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

+1,313

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
November 25, 2009