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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 383,000, a decrease of 36,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 419,000. The 4-week moving average was 415,500, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised average of 431,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Jan. 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 29 was 3,888,000, a decrease of 47,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,935,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,932,250, an increase of 250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,932,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 438,548 in the week ending Feb. 5, a decrease of 25,928 from the previous week. There were 507,634 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent during the week ending Jan. 29, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,579,513, a decrease of 52,382 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.4 percent and the volume was 5,683,530.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Jan. 22 was 9,405,527.

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. 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,399 in the week ending Jan. 29, a decrease of 230 from the prior week. There were 2,569 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 122 from the preceding week.

There were 48,808 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 474 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,821, an increase of 1,402 from the prior week.

States reported 3,756,990 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 22, an increase of 100,366 from the prior week. There were 5,491,377 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. 22 were in Alaska (7.3 percent), Idaho (5.4), Montana (5.3), Wisconsin (5.3), Oregon (5.2), Pennsylvania (5.2), Puerto Rico (5.1), Rhode Island (4.9), Connecticut (4.7), and New Jersey (4.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 29 were in California (+12,274), Pennsylvania (+3,319), Massachusetts (+1,010), Wisconsin (+943), and Puerto Rico (+941), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-11,541), Georgia (-5,607), Alabama (-4,128), New Jersey(-3,037), and Tennessee (-2,950).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 5

Jan. 29

Change

Jan. 22

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

383,000

419,000

-36,000

457,000

439,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

438,548

464,476

-25,928

485,950

507,634

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

415,500

431,500

-16,000

429,500

473,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 29

Jan. 22

Change

Jan. 15

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,888,000

3,935,000

-47,000

4,009,000

4,796,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,579,513

4,631,895

-52,382

4,614,079

5,683,530

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,932,250

3,932,000

+250

3,980,000

4,848,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.1%

3.1%

0.0

3.2%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.6%

3.7%

-0.1

3.7%

4.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 29

Jan. 22

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,399

2,629

-230

1,583

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,569

2,447

+122

2,285

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 22

Jan. 15

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,618,586

4,601,626

+16,960

5,661,462

Federal Employees (UCFE)

48,808

49,282

-474

25,881

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

41,821

40,419

+1,402

37,464

EUC 20083

3,756,990

3,656,624

+100,366

5,491,377

Extended Benefits4

878,674

894,986

-16,312

237,068

State Additional Benefits 5

7,282

6,885

+397

2,050

STC / Workshare 6

53,366

49,450

+3,916

89,564

TOTAL

9,405,527

9,299,272

+106,255

11,544,866

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 01/29/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

-11,541

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

GA

-5,607

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

AL

-4,128

Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and wood products industries.

NJ

-3,037

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

TN

-2,950

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

MO

-2,133

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.

FL

-1,892

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry, and agriculture.

MI

-1,794

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

SC

-1,616

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

VA

-1,562

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

OR

-1,308

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MA

+1,010

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

PA

+3,319

Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.

CA

+12,274

Return to a five day workweek.

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 10, 2011