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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 401,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 395,000. The 4-week moving average was 414,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 418,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending September 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending September 24 was 3,700,000, a decrease of 52,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,752,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,739,000, a decrease of 9,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,748,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 329,029 in the week ending October 1, an increase of 956 from the previous week. There were 373,681 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending September 24, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,145,055, a decrease of 62,504 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,779,910.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending September 17 was 6,862,004, a decrease of 123,009 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, 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, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending September 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,211 in the week ending September 24, a decrease of 117 from the prior week. There were 2,730 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 173 from the preceding week.

There were 23,868 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending September 17, a decrease of 1,210 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,619, an increase of 180 from the prior week.

States reported 3,027,447 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending September 17, a decrease of 9,188 from the prior week. There were 4,123,513 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 September 17 were in Puerto Rico (4.8), Pennsylvania (3.9), Alaska (3.6), California (3.5), New Jersey (3.4), Nevada (3.3), Oregon (3.3), Connecticut (3.2), Arkansas (3.0), and Illinois (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending September 24 were in Michigan (+1,740), Alabama (+1,534), Oregon (+466), Puerto Rico (+334), and Illinois (+154) while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-6,313), New York (-5,769), Georgia (-2,949), North Carolina (-1,885), and Connecticut (-1,379).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 1

Sept. 24

Change

Sept. 17

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

401,000

395,000

+6,000

428,000

449,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

329,029

328,073

+956

353,820

373,681

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

414,000

418,000

-4,000

422,250

453,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance Sept. 24

Sept. 17

Change

Sept. 10

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,700,000

3,752,000

-52,000

3,749,000

4,452,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,145,055

3,207,559

-62,504

3,306,720

3,779,910

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,739,000

3,748,750

-9,750

3,747,500

4,471,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

3.0%

-0.1

3.0%

3.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.5%

2.5%

0.0

2.6%

3.0%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 24

Sept. 17

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,211

2,328

-117

3,597

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,730

2,903

-173

2,844

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 17

Sept. 10

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,196,242

3,296,439

-100,197

3,796,819

Federal Employees (UCFE)

23,868

25,078

-1,210

29,680

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,619

38,439

+180

40,773

EUC 20083

3,027,447

3,036,635

-9,188

4,123,513

Extended Benefits4

524,685

543,870

-19,185

1,011,918

State Additional Benefits 5

4,538

4,511

+27

3,788

STC / Workshare 6

46,605

40,041

+6,564

59,710

TOTAL

6,862,004

6,985,013

-123,009

9,066,201

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 125,807,389 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 09/24/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PA

-6,313

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

NY

-5,769

Fewer layoffs in the construction, educational services, and transportation industries.

GA

-2,949

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

NC

-1,885

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.

CT

-1,379

No comment.

CA

-1,221

No comment.

TN

-1,166

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

OH

-1,079

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

AL

+1,534

Layoffs in the textile and trade industries.

MI

+1,740

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

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
October 6, 2011