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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 403,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 409,000. The 4-week moving average was 403,000, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 409,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 8 was 3,719,000, an increase of 25,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,694,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,722,500, a decrease of 7,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,730,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 356,825 in the week ending October 15, a decrease of 47,229 from the previous week. There were 394,016 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending October 8, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,116,875, an increase of 2,431 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,715,967.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 1 was 6,697,346, a decrease of 124,239 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 October 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 4,341 in the week ending October 8, an increase of 1,917 from the prior week. There were 3,399 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 651 from the preceding week.

There were 24,902 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 1, a decrease of 26 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,951, a decrease of 183 from the prior week.

States reported 2,967,054 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 1, a decrease of 48,981 from the prior week. There were 4,040,113 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 October 1 were in Puerto Rico (4.9), Alaska (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.5), New Jersey (3.4), Virgin Islands (3.4), California (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Oregon (3.2), Connecticut (3.1), Arkansas (2.9), and Illinois (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 8 were in California (+13,882), New York (+8,568), Texas (+4,644), Washington (+3,728), and Pennsylvania (+3,640) while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-1,536), North Carolina (-856), South Carolina (-818), and Virgin Islands (-33).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 15

Oct. 8

Change

Oct. 1

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

403,000

409,000

-6,000

405,000

452,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

356,825

404,054

-47,229

332,394

394,016

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

403,000

409,250

-6,250

415,000

453,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 8

Oct. 1

Change

Sept. 24

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,719,000

3,694,000

+25,000

3,725,000

4,419,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,116,875

3,114,444

+2,431

3,165,909

3,715,967

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,722,500

3,730,000

-7,500

3,745,250

4,435,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

2.9%

0.0

3.0%

3.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.5%

2.5%

0.0

2.5%

3.0%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 8

Oct. 1

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

4,341

2,424

+1,917

10,749

Newly Discharged Veterans

3,399

2,748

+651

3,155

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 1

Sept. 24

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,104,908

3,155,266

-50,358

3,692,139

Federal Employees (UCFE)

24,902

24,928

-26

32,170

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,951

39,134

-183

40,994

EUC 20083

2,967,054

3,016,035

-48,981

4,040,113

Extended Benefits4

517,755

537,165

-19,410

1,031,584

State Additional Benefits 5

4,628

4,693

-65

3,780

STC / Workshare 6

39,148

44,364

-5,216

56,611

TOTAL

6,697,346

6,821,585

-124,239

8,897,391

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 126,188,733 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 10/8/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

WI

-1,536

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

KS

+1,012

No comment.

NJ

+1,014

Layoffs in the service, retail, and construction industries.

KY

+1,071

No comment.

TN

+1,093

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

CO

+1,147

No comment.

MA

+1,326

Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.

MI

+1,475

No comment.

IL

+1,479

Layoffs in the construction, service, and trade industries

AR

+1,571

Layoffs in the healthcare industry.

AK

+1,723

No comment.

AZ

+1,785

No comment.

IN

+1,813

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MO

+1,822

Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.

AL

+1,941

Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

OH

+2,462

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

FL

+2,507

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

GA

+3,605

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

PA

+3,640

Layoffs in the service, construction, retail, and educational services industries

WA

+3,728

Layoffs in the construction, retail, and service industries.

TX

+4,644

Layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and retail industries.

NY

+8,568

Layoffs in the transportation, service and public administration industries.

CA

+13,882

Layoffs in the service 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 20, 2011