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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending November 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 390,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 400,000. The 4-week moving average was 400,000, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 405,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 29 was 3,615,000, a decrease of 92,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,707,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,690,250, a decrease of 19,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,709,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 398,753 in the week ending November 5, an increase of 29,106 from the previous week. There were 452,657 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending October 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,166,982, a decrease of 32,545 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,783,097.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 22 was 6,835,604, an increase of 51,990 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, Maryland, 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 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,606 in the week ending October 29, an increase of 287 from the prior week. There were 2,712 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 42 from the preceding week.

There were 28,657 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 22, a decrease of 572 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,066, a decrease of 20 from the prior week.

States reported 2,953,824 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 22, an increase of 8,182 from the prior week. There were 3,900,038 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 22 were in Puerto Rico (4.8), Alaska (4.5), Oregon (3.6), California (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.5), Virgin Islands (3.4), New Jersey (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Arkansas (3.1), and Connecticut (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 29 were in Michigan (+1,467), Wisconsin (+1,320), Oregon (+919), Minnesota (+783), and Florida (+674) while the largest decreases were in California (-5,633), New York (-1,661), North Carolina (-1,659), Tennessee (-1,302), and Nevada (-894).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Nov. 5

Oct. 29

Change

Oct. 22

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

390,000

400,000

-10,000

406,000

436,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

398,753

369,647

+29,106

377,156

452,657

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

400,000

405,250

-5,250

406,500

444,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 29

Oct. 22

Change

Oct. 15

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,615,000

3,707,000

-92,000

3,700,000

4,314,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,166,982

3,199,527

-32,545

3,196,554

3,783,097

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,690,250

3,709,750

-19,500

3,714,250

4,359,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

2.9%

0.0

2.9%

3.4%

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. 29

Oct. 22

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,606

2,319

+287

3,769

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,712

2,670

+42

2,505

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 22

Oct. 15

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,188,365

3,188,368

-3

3,744,373

Federal Employees (UCFE)

28,657

29,229

-572

43,177

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

41,066

41,086

-20

44,459

EUC 20083

2,953,824

2,945,642

+8,182

3,900,038

Extended Benefits4

575,791

540,500

+35,291

911,239

State Additional Benefits 5

4,753

4,551

+202

4,350

STC / Workshare 6

43,148

34,238

+8,910

61,192

TOTAL

6,835,604

6,783,614

+51,990

8,708,828

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 10/29/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,633

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

NY

-1,661

Fewer layoffs in the educational service, finance and insurance, and service industries.

NC

-1,659

No comment.

TN

-1,302

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

+1,467

Layoffs in the manufacturing and transportation industries.

WI

+1,320

No comment.

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
November 10, 2011