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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 454,000, an increase of 51,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 403,000. The 4-week moving average was 428,750, an increase of 15,750 from the previous week's revised average of 413,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent for the week ending Jan. 15, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 15 was 3,991,000, an increase of 94,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,897,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,975,500, a decrease of 39,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,015,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 482,399 in the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 67,491 from the previous week. There were 502,710 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent during the week ending Jan. 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,593,535, a decrease of 58,900 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,602,357.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Jan. 8 was 9,410,977.

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 Jan. 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,842 in the week ending Jan. 15, a decrease of 1,633 from the prior week. There were 2,690 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 170 from the preceding week.

There were 50,709 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 8, an increase of 1,877 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,676, an increase of 726 from the prior week.

States reported 3,783,493 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 8, an increase of 63,886 from the prior week. There were 5,348,277 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 8 were in Alaska (7.5 percent), Oregon (5.4), Wisconsin (5.4), Idaho (5.3), Pennsylvania (5.2), Montana (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.0), Michigan (4.9), California (4.8), Connecticut (4.7), and New Jersey (4.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 15 were in Florida (+6,646), Nevada (+242), and the Virgin Islands (+103), while the largest decreases were in New York (-28,714), Georgia (-19,429), North Carolina (-16,132), Pennsylvania (-14,859), and California (-14,309).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 22

Jan. 15

Change

Jan. 8

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

454,000

403,000

+51,000

447,000

476,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

482,399

549,890

-67,491

773,499

502,710

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

428,750

413,000

+15,750

417,250

472,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 15

Jan. 8

Change

Jan. 1

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,991,000

3,897,000

+94,000

3,887,000

4,838,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,593,535

4,652,435

-58,900

4,777,291

5,602,357

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,975,500

4,015,250

-39,750

4,058,500

4,898,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.2%

3.1%

+0.1

3.1%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.7%

3.7%

0.0

3.8%

4.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 15

Jan. 8

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

3,842

5,475

-1,633

2,024

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,690

2,860

-170

2,468

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 8

Jan. 1

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,639,683

4,763,229

-123,546

5,768,910

Federal Employees (UCFE)

50,709

48,832

+1,877

26,238

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

42,676

41,950

+726

37,884

EUC 20083

3,783,493

3,719,607

+63,886

5,348,277

Extended Benefits4

835,539

997,452

-161,913

262,030

State Additional Benefits 5

6,644

6,978

-334

1,799

STC / Workshare 6

52,233

56,755

-4,522

90,004

TOTAL

9,410,977

9,634,803

-223,826

11,535,142

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 125,560,066 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 01/15/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-28,714

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

GA

-19,429

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

NC

-16,132

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, food, textile, furniture, rubber/plastics, and lumber/wood industries.

PA

-14,859

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

CA

-14,309

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

IL

-10,155

No comment.

AL

-9,550

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

MI

-9,464

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.

SC

-7,318

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TX

-7,190

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

OH

-6,776

No comment.

WI

-6,640

No comment.

CT

-6,545

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and manufacturing industries.

WA

-6,228

No comment.

VA

-6,107

State offices were closed 1/14/2011, as well as fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MO

-5,871

No comment.

IN

-5,608

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and trade industries.

MA

-5,317

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

NJ

-4,579

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

TN

-4,576

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

KS

-4,541

No comment.

KY

-3,218

No comment.

MN

-3,054

No comment.

MD

-2,957

No comment.

OR

-2,203

No comment.

CO

-1,733

No comment.

MS

-1,728

No comment.

LA

-1,504

No comment.

AZ

-1,328

No comment.

AR

-1,266

Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.

MT

-1,206

No comment.

UT

-1,017

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

+6,646

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

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 27, 2011