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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 480,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 472,000. The 4-week moving average was 468,750, an increase of 11,750 from the previous week's revised average of 457,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Jan. 23, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 23 was 4,602,000, an increase of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,600,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,617,500, a decrease of 51,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,668,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.362 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 530,405 in the week ending Jan. 30, an increase of 28,234 from the previous week. There were 682,176 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent during the week ending Jan. 23, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,665,141, an increase of 62,784 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,806,901.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, 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 Jan. 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,451 in the week ending Jan. 23, a decrease of 499 from the prior week. There were 1,858 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 554 from the preceding week.

There were 26,167 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 16, a decrease of 59 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 35,777, a decrease of 2,059 from the prior week.

States reported 5,632,219 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 16, an increase of 281,442 from the prior week. There were 1,839,758 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 16 were in Alaska (7.3 percent), Oregon (6.6), Pennsylvania (6.5), Idaho (6.4), Wisconsin (6.3), Montana (6.2), Michigan (6.0), Nevada (5.7), Connecticut (5.3), North Carolina (5.3), and Washington (5.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 23 were in Oregon (+4,336), Puerto Rico (+2,439), and Hawaii (+18), while the largest decreases were in California (-22,674), Michigan (-11,757), North Carolina (-9,546), Georgia (-7,588), and Missouri (-7,577).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 30

Jan. 23

Change

Jan. 16

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

480,000

472,000

+8,000

479,000

624,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

530,405

502,171

+28,234

646,259

682,176

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

468,750

457,000

+11,750

447,000

581,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 23

Jan. 16

Change

Jan. 9

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,602,000

4,600,000

+2,000

4,659,000

4,748,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,665,141

5,602,357

+62,784

5,791,080

5,806,901

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,617,500

4,668,750

-51,250

4,763,500

4,621,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.6%

3.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.4%

4.3%

+0.1

4.5%

4.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 23

Jan. 16

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,451

1,950

-499

1,586

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,858

2,412

-554

2,711

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 16

Jan. 9

Change

Year

Federal Employees

26,167

26,226

-59

20,896

Newly Discharged Veterans

35,777

37,836

-2,059

26,760

Railroad Retirement Board

12,000

12,000

0

9,000

Extended Benefits

222,833

261,962

-39,129

14,058

EUC 20083

5,632,219

5,350,777

+281,442

1,839,758

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 130,128,328 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/23/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-22,674

Decrease due to a shorter workweek.

MI

-11,757

Fewer layoffs were reported throughout all industries.

NC

-9,546

Fewer layoffs in the stone/clay/glass, construction, service, furniture, and mining industries.

GA

-7,588

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

MO

-7,577

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

TN

-6,892

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

NY

-6,744

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

AL

-5,892

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

FL

-5,523

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

OH

-5,026

No comment.

IL

-4,835

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

PA

-4,815

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

TX

-4,436

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

CT

-3,548

No comment.

IA

-3,442

No comment.

IN

-3,349

Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.

MA

-3,236

No comment.

WA

-2,650

No comment.

MD

-2,492

No comment.

SC

-2,421

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WV

-2,358

No comment.

WI

-2,189

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

AR

-1,898

No comment.

MN

-1,458

No comment.

NV

-1,409

No comment.

CO

-1,392

No comment.

KS

-1,329

No comment.

AZ

-1,228

No comment.

ID

-1,192

No comment.

ME

-1,132

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

LA

-1,129

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PR

+2,439

No comment.

OR

+4,336

No comment.

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
February 4, 2010