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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 474,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 457,000. The 4-week moving average was 473,750, a decrease of 7,750 from the previous week's revised average of 481,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.9 percent for the week ending Nov. 28, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 28 was 5,157,000, a decrease of 303,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,460,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,416,500, a decrease of 123,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,540,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.767 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 664,865 in the week ending Dec. 5, an increase of 204,703 from the previous week. There were 759,531 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent during the week ending Nov. 28, an increase of 0.5 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,373,871, an increase of 591,085 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,493,526.

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. 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,780 in the week ending Nov. 28, a decrease of 488 from the prior week. There were 1,372 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 963 from the preceding week.

There were 23,344 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 21, a decrease of 1,177 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,605, a decrease of 2,753 from the prior week.

States reported 4,178,780 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 21, an increase of 327,729 from the prior week. There were 729,256 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include first, second, and third tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 21 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.6), Alaska (5.5), Nevada (5.1), Wisconsin (4.9), Washington (4.8), Michigan (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.7), Arkansas (4.5), Idaho (4.5), and North Carolina (4.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 28 were in Wisconsin (+8,067), Kansas (+3,825), Missouri (+3,307), Iowa (+2,789), and Indiana (+2,162), while the largest decreases were in California (-28,672), Texas (-9,519), North Carolina (-8,873), Florida (-7,214), and Illinois (-6,610).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 5

Nov. 28

Change

Nov. 21

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

474,000

457,000

+17,000

463,000

552,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

664,865

460,162

+204,703

540,104

759,531

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

473,750

481,500

-7,750

495,750

530,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 28

Nov. 21

Change

Nov. 14

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

5,157,000

5,460,000

-303,000

5,436,000

4,354,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,373,871

4,782,786

+591,085

5,082,476

4,493,526

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,416,500

5,540,000

-123,500

5,617,000

4,124,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.9%

4.1%

-0.2

4.1%

3.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.1%

3.6%

+0.5

3.9%

3.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 28

Nov. 21

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,780

2,268

-488

1,665

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,372

2,335

-963

1,251

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 21

Nov. 14

Change

Year

Federal Employees

23,344

24,521

-1,177

15,655

Newly Discharged Veterans

33,605

36,358

-2,753

22,286

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

407,455

597,688

-190,233

23,569

EUC 20083

4,178,780

3,851,051

+327,729

729,256

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 first, second, and third tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/28/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-28,672

Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the service industry.

TX

-9,519

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

NC

-8,873

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

FL

-7,214

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

IL

-6,610

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

VA

-3,458

Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

GA

-3,434

Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.

NY

-3,366

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

SC

-2,822

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TN

-2,626

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

WA

-2,418

No comment.

AL

-2,394

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

NJ

-2,388

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

MI

-2,310

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.

AZ

-2,107

No comment.

OK

-1,613

No comment.

NV

-1,603

Decrease due to a shorter workweek.

CO

-1,515

No comment.

MD

-1,379

No comment.

LA

-1,017

No comment.

CT

-1,010

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

AR

+1,063

No comment.

ID

+1,590

No comment.

IN

+2,162

Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

IA

+2,789

No comment.

MO

+3,307

No comment.

KS

+3,825

No comment.

WI

+8,067

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI 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/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
December 10, 2009