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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 432,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 454,000. The 4-week moving average was 460,250, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 465,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent for the week ending Dec. 19, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 19 was 4,981,000, a decrease of 57,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,038,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,101,000, a decrease of 122,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,223,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.621 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 557,155 in the week ending Dec. 26, a decrease of 8,088 from the previous week. There were 717,000 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.9 percent during the week ending Dec. 19, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,090,652, a decrease of 254,815 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,572,637.

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 Dec. 12.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,756 in the week ending Dec. 19, a decrease of 390 from the prior week. There were 2,274 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 123 from the preceding week.

There were 26,422 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 12, a decrease of 49 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,526, an increase of 1,378 from the prior week.

States reported 4,448,914 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 12, an increase of 191,669 from the prior week. There were 1,567,930 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 12 were in Alaska (7.4 percent), Oregon (6.1), Puerto Rico (5.8), Wisconsin (5.6), Michigan (5.5), Idaho (5.4), Montana (5.4), Nevada (5.4), Pennsylvania (5.4), and California (5.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 19 were in Michigan (+8,382), California (+7,317), Florida (+3,179), Iowa (+2,820), and Missouri (+1,628), while the largest decreases were in Tennessee (-2,972), Illinois (-2,923), Pennsylvania (-2,875), Georgia (-2,684), and North Carolina (-1,771).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 26

Dec. 19

Change

Dec. 12

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

432,000

454,000

-22,000

480,000

508,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

557,155

565,243

-8,088

555,383

717,000

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

460,250

465,750

-5,500

468,000

544,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 19

Dec. 12

Change

Dec. 5

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,981,000

5,038,000

-57,000

5,202,000

4,470,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,090,652

5,345,467

-254,815

5,192,075

4,572,637

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,101,000

5,223,250

-122,250

5,322,750

4,377,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.8%

3.8%

0.0

3.9%

3.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.9%

4.1%

-0.2

3.9%

3.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 19

Dec. 12

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,756

2,146

-390

1,609

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,274

2,151

+123

1,955

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 12

Dec. 5

Change

Year

Federal Employees

26,422

26,471

-49

18,968

Newly Discharged Veterans

37,526

36,148

+1,378

25,535

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

4,000

Extended Benefits

367,498

359,982

+7,516

1,671

EUC 20083

4,448,914

4,257,245

+191,669

1,567,930

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, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/19/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TN

-2,972

No comment.

IL

-2,923

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

PA

-2,875

No comment.

GA

-2,684

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

NC

-1,771

Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, computer equipment, lumber/wood, furniture, construction, trade, and service industries.

SC

-1,740

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

CO

-1,236

No comment.

WV

-1,104

No comment.

LA

-1,049

No comment.

AL

-1,021

Fewer layoffs in the construction and textile industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

+1,155

Layoffs in the construction, service, and real estate industries.

NV

+1,184

No comment.

KY

+1,198

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WA

+1,263

No comment.

NJ

+1,272

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

OK

+1,291

No comment.

WI

+1,484

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

MO

+1,628

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

IA

+2,820

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

FL

+3,179

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

CA

+7,317

Increase due primarily to the fact that the offices were able to process claims for six days, as well as layoffs in the construction and service industries.

MI

+8,382

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
December 31, 2009