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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending November 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 388,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 393,000. The 4-week moving average was 396,750, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 400,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending November 5, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending November 5 was 3,608,000, a decrease of 57,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,665,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,670,000, a decrease of 32,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,702,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 360,139 in the week ending November 12, a decrease of 42,355 from the previous week. There were 409,548 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending November 5, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,164,504, a decrease of 46,356 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,735,938.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 29 was 6,773,326, a decrease of 62,278 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 29.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,130 in the week ending November 5, a decrease of 476 from the prior week. There were 2,756 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 44 from the preceding week.

There were 28,719 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 29, an increase of 62 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,858, a decrease of 208 from the prior week.

States reported 2,935,466 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 29, a decrease of 18,358 from the prior week. There were 3,961,485 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 29 were in Alaska (4.9), Puerto Rico (4.8), Oregon (3.6), California (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.5), New Jersey (3.4), Nevada (3.2), Arkansas (3.1), Connecticut (3.1), and South Carolina (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending November 5 were in Michigan (+3,106), Illinois (+2,516), Texas (+2,335), Washington (+2,278), and Pennsylvania (+2,261) while the largest decreases were in Florida (-1,896), Oregon (-804), Puerto Rico (-487), District of Columbia (-40), and Arizona (-36).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Nov. 12

Nov. 5

Change

Oct. 29

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

388,000

393,000

-5,000

400,000

441,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

360,139

402,494

-42,355

369,647

409,548

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

396,750

400,750

-4,000

405,250

441,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance Nov. 5

Oct. 29

Change

Oct. 22

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,608,000

3,665,000

-57,000

3,707,000

4,270,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,164,504

3,210,860

-46,356

3,199,527

3,735,938

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,670,000

3,702,750

-32,750

3,709,750

4,322,000

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

Nov. 5

Oct. 29

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,130

2,606

-476

3,373

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,756

2,712

+44

2,524

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 29

Oct. 22

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,201,454

3,188,365

+13,089

3,766,898

Federal Employees (UCFE)

28,719

28,657

+62

46,522

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

40,858

41,066

-208

42,719

EUC 20083

2,935,466

2,953,824

-18,358

3,961,485

Extended Benefits4

523,772

575,791

-52,019

965,710

State Additional Benefits 5

4,665

4,753

-88

4,333

STC / Workshare 6

38,392

43,148

-4,756

61,233

TOTAL

6,773,326

6,835,604

-62,278

8,848,900

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 paid, 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 11/5/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

-1,896

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

+3,106

Layoffs in the construction, and service industries.

IL

+2,516

Layoffs in the construction, service, and trade industries.

TX

+2,335

Layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and finance industries.

WA

+2,278

No comment.

PA

+2,261

Layoffs in the service, entertainment, and construction industries.

CT

+1,808

No comment.

NJ

+1,754

Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, and healthcare industries.

MA

+1,563

Layoffs in the transportation industry.

CA

+1,449

No comment.

NY

+1,334

Layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, arts, entertainment, and recreation industries.

NV

+1236

Increase due to state holiday in the previous week.

MN

+1,209

No comment.

NC

+1,090

Layoffs in the service, furniture and fixture, metal, and petroleum refining industries.

MD

+1,065

No comment.

KY

+1,014

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 17, 2011