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News Release
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 387,000. The 4-week moving average was 373,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 376,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending December 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 December 24, was 3,595,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,617,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,601,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,602,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 535,112 in the week ending December 31, an increase of 37,423 from the previous week. There were 578,904 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending December 24, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,764,364, an increase of 150,906 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,415,512.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 17 was 7,223,203, a decrease of 8,311 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 December 17.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,092 in the week ending December 24, an increase of 215 from the prior week. There were 2,332 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 1,565 from the preceding week.
There were 30,777 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 17, an increase of 273 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,352, a decrease of 883 from the prior week.
States reported 2,932,561 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 17, an increase of 6,426 from the prior week. There were 3,577,663 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 December 17 were in Alaska (6.5), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.0), Idaho (3.8), Montana (3.8), California (3.7), Nevada (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), Illinois (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), and Rhode Island (3.6).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 24 were in California (+16,490), Pennsylvania (+6,764), Michigan (+5,632), Kentucky (+5,263), and Indiana (+5,084) while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-1,105), Texas (-876), Louisiana (-696), South Carolina (-685), and Puerto Rico (-676).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance Dec. 31 | Dec. 24 | Change | Dec. 17 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 372,000 | 387,000 | -15,000 | 366,000 | 418,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 535,112 | 497,689 | +37,423 | 421,103 | 578,904 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 373,250 | 376,500 | -3,250 | 380,750 | 418,000 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance Dec. 24 | Dec. 17 | Change | Dec. 10 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,595,000 | 3,617,000 | -22,000 | 3,567,000 | 4,127,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,764,364 | 3,613,458 | +150,906 | 3,628,110 | 4,415,512 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,601,750 | 3,602,750 | -1,000 | 3,637,750 | 4,131,500 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.8% | 2.9% | -0.1 | 2.8% | 3.3% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 3.0% | 2.9% | +0.1 | 2.9% | 3.5% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | Dec. 24 | Dec. 17 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 2,092 | 1,877 | +215 | 2,230 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,332 | 3,897 | -1,565 | 1,834 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | Dec. 17 | Dec. 10 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 3,603,539 | 3,611,966 | -8,427 | 4,103,984 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 30,777 | 30,504 | +273 | 47,113 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 42,352 | 43,235 | -883 | 40,568 |
EUC 20083 | 2,932,561 | 2,926,135 | +6,426 | 3,577,663 |
Extended Benefits4 | 570,791 | 571,848 | -1,057 | 958,537 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 4,524 | 4,738 | -214 | 6,976 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 38,659 | 43,088 | -4,429 | 52,918 |
TOTAL | 7,223,203 | 7,231,514 | -8,311 | 8,787,759 |
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 12/17/2011
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
GA | -1,105 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
CA | +16,490 |
| Layoffs in the service industry. |
PA | +6,764 |
| Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries. |
MI | +5,636 |
| Layoffs in the automobile industry. |
KY | +5,263 |
| No comment. |
IN | +5,084 |
| layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and construction industries. |
IL | +4,206 |
| Layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, and construction industries. |
OH | +4,084 |
| Layoffs in the transportation, manufacturing, and construction industries. |
NJ | +3,838 |
| Layoffs in the educational service industry. |
WI | +3,580 |
| No comment. |
MO | +3,236 |
| Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries. |
IA | +2,610 |
| Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
OR | +2,192 |
| No comment. |
KS | +2,027 |
| No comment. |
WA | +2,025 |
| Layoffs in the manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries. |
MD | +1,901 |
| No comment. |
CT | +1,566 |
| No comment. |
TN | +1,212 |
| Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, and construction industries. |
NC | +1,040 |
| Layoffs in the construction, textile, electronic, and transportation industries. |
MN | +1,021 |
| No comment. |
State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current
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