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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 445,000, an increase of 35,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 410,000. The 4-week moving average was 416,500, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 411,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Jan. 1, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 1 was 3,879,000, a decrease of 248,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,127,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,056,500, a decrease of 72,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,128,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 770,413 in the week ending Jan. 8, an increase of 191,686 from the previous week. There were 815,593 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent during the week ending Jan. 1, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,766,951, an increase of 351,439 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.6 percent and the volume was 6,013,891.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Dec. 25 was 9,193,838.

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, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending Dec. 25.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,922 in the week ending Jan. 1, a decrease of 308 from the prior week. There were 2,042 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 208 from the preceding week.

There were 49,772 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 25, an increase of 2,659 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,865, an increase of 1,297 from the prior week.

States reported 3,773,092 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 25, an increase of 195,429 from the prior week. There were 4,980,124 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. 25 were in Alaska (7.5 percent), Oregon (5.2), Idaho (5.1), Montana (4.9), Wisconsin (4.8), Pennsylvania (4.7), Puerto Rico (4.6), Nevada (4.5), Illinois (4.4), and Michigan (4.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 1 were in Georgia (+11,997), Michigan (+10,129), Pennsylvania (+9,004), New York (+8,379), and Wisconsin (+7,236), while the largest decreases were in California (-13,694), Florida (-1,867), Nevada (-972), Kansas (-841), and New Mexico (-721).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 8

Jan. 1

Change

Dec. 25

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

445,000

410,000

+35,000

391,000

470,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

770,413

578,727

+191,686

525,710

815,593

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

416,500

411,000

+5,500

414,250

462,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 1

Dec. 25

Change

Dec. 18

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,879,000

4,127,000

-248,000

4,150,000

4,862,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,766,951

4,415,512

+351,439

4,116,684

6,013,891

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,056,500

4,128,500

-72,000

4,125,250

5,049,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.1%

3.3%

-0.2

3.3%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.8%

3.5%

+0.3

3.3%

4.6%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 1

Dec. 25

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,922

2,230

-308

1,471

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,042

1,834

+208

1,462

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING Dec. 25 Dec. 18 Change Prior Year1

Regular State

4,415,512

4,116,684

+298,828

5,465,872

Federal Employees (UCFE)

49,772

47,113

+2,659

25,963

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

41,865

40,568

+1,297

36,078

EUC 20083

3,773,092

3,577,663

+195,429

4,980,124

Extended Benefits4

862,331

929,393

-67,062

303,871

State Additional Benefits 5

6,549

6,976

-427

2,630

STC / Workshare 6

44,717

52,918

-8,201

77,010

TOTAL

9,193,838

8,771,315

+422,523

10,891,548

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 01/01/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-13,694

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

FL

-1,867

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

AR

+1,006

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

TX

+1,377

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

SC

+1,413

Layoffs in the industrial machinery industry.

AL

+1,568

Layoffs in the transportation equipment, furniture, and service industries.

OH

+2,321

Increase due to holiday shutdowns.

CT

+2,488

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

OR

+2,773

No comment.

VA

+2,941

State offices closed 1 day for New Year's vs. 2 for Christmas, as well as layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NJ

+3,067

Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

WI

+7,236

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NY

+8,379

Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

PA

+9,004

Layoffs in the construction, trade, transportation, and transportation equipment industries.

MI

+10,129

All industries showed sizable increases.

GA

+11,997

Layoffs in the construction, trade, 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
January 13, 2011