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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 367,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 379,000. The 4-week moving average was 375,750, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 377,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending January 21, 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 January 21, was 3,437,000, a decrease of 130,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,567,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,527,500, a decrease of 43,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,570,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 415,094 in the week ending January 28, a decrease of 1,786 from the previous week. There were 464,775 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending January 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,042,107, a decrease of 27,544 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,632,950.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 14 was 7,670,452, an increase of 345 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 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,172 in the week ending January 21, a decrease of 115 from the prior week. There were 2,448 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 596 from the preceding week.

There were 30,962 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending January 14, an increase of 168 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,496, a decrease of 550 from the prior week.

States reported 3,022,925 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending January 14, an increase of 100,392 from the prior week. There were 3,656,624 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 14 were in Alaska (6.7), Pennsylvania (5.0), Montana (4.7),Wisconsin (4.7), Oregon (4.6), Idaho (4.5), Illinois (4.4), Puerto Rico (4.4), New Jersey (4.3), and Rhode Island (4.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 21 were in Washington (+1,616), Puerto Rico (+1,589), Oklahoma (+398) while the largest decreases were in California (-20,698), New York (-9,433), Pennsylvania (-8,481), Michigan (-6,812), and North Carolina (-4,875).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 28

Jan. 21

Change

Jan. 14

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

367,000

379,000

-12,000

355,000

424,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

415,094

416,880

-1,786

525,422

464,775

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

375,750

377,750

-2,000

379,750

429,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 21

Jan. 14

Change

Jan. 7

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,437,000

3,567,000

-130,000

3,459,000

3,973,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,042,107

4,069,651

-27,544

4,109,127

4,632,950

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,527,500

3,570,500

-43,000

3,583,000

3,972,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.7%

2.8%

-0.1

2.7%

3.2%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.2%

3.2%

0.0

3.2%

3.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 21

Jan. 14

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,172

2,287

-115

2,629

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,448

3,044

-596

2,448

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 14

Jan. 7

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,060,581

4,099,229

-38,648

4,601,626

Federal Employees (UCFE)

30,962

30,794

+168

49,282

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

42,496

43,046

-550

40,419

EUC 20083

3,022,925

2,922,533

+100,392

3,656,624

Extended Benefits4

474,252

531,507

-57,255

898,042

State Additional Benefits 5

3,850

3,802

+48

6,885

STC / Workshare 6

35,386

39,196

-3,810

49,450

TOTAL

7,670,452

7,670,107

+345

9,302,328

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 01/21/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-20,698

Shortened workweek due to holiday on 01/16/2012, fewer layoffs in all industries, with the highest concentration in the service industry.

NY

-9,433

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

PA

-8,481

Fewer layoffs in the construction, professional, scientific and technology, entertainment, and service industries.

MI

-6,812

No comment.

NC

-4,875

Fewer layoffs in the non classifiable establishments, transportation, furniture and fixtures, food and kindred products, textile, service, mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals, construction, machinery, and computer equipment industries.

FL

-4,725

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

GA

-4,561

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

NJ

-4,293

Fewer layoffs in the construction, retail, administrative, service, health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and wholesale trade industries.

TX

-4,031

Shortened workweek due to holiday on 01/16/2012.

OH

-3,582

No comment.

SC

-3,261

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MO

-3,223

Fewer layoffs in the administrative service, retail, and service industries.

IL

-2,942

No comment.

IN

-2,399

No comment.

WI

-2,288

No comment.

MA

-2,249

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

CT

-1,967

No comment.

TN

-1,942

No comment.

AR

-1,401

No comment.

MD

-1,347

No comment.

AL

-1,249

Fewer layoffs in the metal manufacturing, and administrative support services, and retail industries.

AZ

-1,071

No comment.

ID

-1,070

No comment.

ME

-1,053

Fewer layoffs in the construction, administration and waste, and service industries.

MN

-1,042

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

WA

+1,616

Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, transportation and warehousing, and retail industries.

PR

+1,589

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
February 2, 2012