Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.

News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 377,000, an increase of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 356,000. The 4-week moving average was 377,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 380,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending January 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 14, was 3,554,000, an increase of 88,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,466,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,569,000, a decrease of 15,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,584,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 414,122 in the week ending January 21, a decrease of 112,817 from the previous week. There were 485,950 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending January 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,054,631, a decrease of 62,545 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,614,149.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 7 was 7,638,233, a decrease of 188,612 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 January 07.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,293 in the week ending January 14, a decrease of 358 from the prior week. There were 3,054 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 446 from the preceding week.

There were 30,859 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending January 7, a decrease of 1,007 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 43,056, an increase of 765 from the prior week.

States reported 2,882,033 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending January 7, a decrease of 144,822 from the prior week. There were 3,783,493 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 7 were in Alaska (7.3), Wisconsin (4.9), Oregon (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.7), Puerto Rico (4.7), Idaho (4.5), Michigan (4.5), Montana (4.5), New Jersey (4.3), Connecticut (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 14 were in Florida (+2,711), California (+1,682), Iowa (+596), West Virginia (+571), and District of Columbia (+115) while the largest decreases were in New York (-27,713), Pennsylvania (-11,687), North Carolina (-9,516), Georgia (-9,496), and Alabama (-7,639).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 21

Jan. 14

Change

Jan. 7

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

377,000

356,000

+21,000

402,000

443,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

414,122

526,939

-112,817

646,219

485,950

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

377,500

380,000

-2,500

382,500

428,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 14

Jan. 7

Change

Dec. 31

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,554,000

3,466,000

+88,000

3,647,000

4,019,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,054,631

4,117,176

-62,545

4,161,063

4,614,149

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,569,000

3,584,750

-15,750

3,610,250

4,010,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.8%

2.7%

+0.1

2.9%

3.2%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.2%

3.3%

-0.1

3.3%

3.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 14

Jan. 7

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,293

2,651

-358

3,680

Newly Discharged Veterans

3,054

2,608

+446

2,690

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 7

Dec. 31

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,107,039

4,151,739

-44,700

4,640,053

Federal Employees (UCFE)

30,859

31,866

-1,007

50,847

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

43,056

42,291

+765

42,681

EUC 20083

2,882,033

3,026,855

-144,822

3,783,493

Extended Benefits4

531,871

533,172

-1,301

835,172

State Additional Benefits 5

3,746

3,850

-104

6,644

STC / Workshare 6

39,629

37,072

+2,557

52,233

TOTAL

7,638,233

7,826,845

-188,612

9,411,123

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 126,579,970 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 01/14/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-27,713

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

PA

-11,687

No comment.

NC

-9,516

Fewer layoffs in non-classified establishments, textile, food and kindred, furniture and fixtures, service, lumber and wood products, construction, electronic, rubber products, transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

GA

-9,496

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

AL

-7,639

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, administrative, construction, textile, and apparel industries.

TX

-6,880

No comment.

VA

-4,421

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WI

-3,935

No comment.

MO

-3,626

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, administrative, and service industries.

TN

-3,314

No comment.

MI

-3,309

No comment.

IN

-3,171

No comment.

WA

-3,139

No comment.

KY

-2,888

No comment.

OH

-2,822

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MN

-2,407

No comment.

NJ

-2,400

Fewer layoffs in the construction, administrative, service, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and professional and technology industries.

MA

-2,229

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

IL

-1,959

No comment.

MD

-1,463

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

+2,711

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

CA

+1,682

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
January 26, 2012