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News Release
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 388,000, a decrease of 34,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 422,000. The 4-week moving average was 414,000, a decrease of 12,500 from the previous week's revised average of 426,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent for the week ending Dec. 18, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.2 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec.18 was 4,128,000, an increase of 57,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,071,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,120,000, a decrease of 37,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,157,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 521,834 in the week ending Dec. 25, an increase of 24,879 from the previous week. There were 556,517 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending Dec. 18, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,095,135, a decrease of 85,886 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.9 percent and the volume was 5,088,864.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Dec. 4 was 8,866,924.
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 Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending Dec. 11.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,538 in the week ending Dec. 18, a decrease of 744 from the prior week. There were 2,494 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 92 from the preceding week.
There were 58,174 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 11, an increase of 10,596 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 43,215, an increase of 1,039 from the prior week.
States reported 3,711,288 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 11, a decrease of 77,741 from the prior week. There were 4,869,540 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 Dec. 11 were in Alaska (7.3 percent), Puerto Rico (5.1), Montana (4.8), Oregon (4.8), Pennsylvania (4.6), Idaho (4.5), California (4.4), Nevada (4.3), New Jersey (4.2), and Wisconsin (4.2).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 18 were in New Jersey (+5,235), Michigan (+3,087), Missouri (+2,404), Florida (+2,281), and Oregon (+2,026), while the largest decreases were in California (-7,656), Illinois (-3,149), Georgia (-1,935), Pennsylvania (-1,574), and Texas (-1,494).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance Dec. 25 | Dec. 18 | Change | Dec. 11 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 388,000 | 422,000 | -34,000 | 423,000 | 454,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 521,834 | 496,955 | +24,879 | 490,276 | 556,517 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 414,000 | 426,500 | -12,500 | 423,500 | 474,000 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance Dec. 18 | Dec. 11 | Change | Dec. 4 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 4,128,000 | 4,071,000 | +57,000 | 4,167,000 | 5,151,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 4,095,135 | 4,181,021 | -85,886 | 4,062,518 | 5,088,864 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 4,120,000 | 4,157,250 | -37,250 | 4,193,750 | 5,240,250 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 3.3% | 3.2% | +0.1 | 3.3% | 3.9% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 3.3% | 3.3% | 0.0 | 3.2% | 3.9% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | Dec. 18 | Dec. 11 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 2,538 | 3,282 | -744 | 1,780 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,494 | 2,586 | -92 | 2,297 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | Dec. 11 | Dec. 4 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 4,181,021 | 4,062,518 | +118,503 | 5,345,467 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 58,174 | 47,578 | +10,596 | 26,474 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 43,215 | 42,176 | +1,039 | 37,570 |
EUC 20083 | 3,711,288 | 3,789,029 | -77,741 | 4,869,540 |
Extended Benefits4 | 819,269 | 893,016 | -73,747 | 398,003 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 6,669 | 4,931 | +1,738 | 2,744 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 47,288 | 63,030 | -15,742 | 108,108 |
TOTAL | 8,866,924 | 8,902,278 | -35,354 | 10,787,906 |
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 125,845,577 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/18/2010
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
CA | -7,656 |
| Fewer layoffs in agriculture. |
IL | -3,149 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries. |
GA | -1,935 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
PA | -1,574 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and industrial machinery industries. |
TX | -1,494 |
| Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
TN | -1,384 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and transportation industries. |
WV | -1,302 |
| No comment. |
SC | -1,240 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
OH | +1,455 |
| Layoffs in the automobile and primary metals industries. |
WA | +1,526 |
| Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries. |
OK | +1,591 |
| No comment. |
KY | +1,703 |
| No comment. |
OR | +2,026 |
| No comment. |
FL | +2,281 |
| Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. |
MO | +2,404 |
| Layoffs in the construction and service industries. |
MI | +3,087 |
| Layoffs in the automobile industry. |
NJ | +5,235 |
| Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries. |
State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current
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