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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 371,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,750, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 359,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending December 29, 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 29 was 3,109,000, a decrease of 127,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,236,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,197,250, a decrease of 26,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,223,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 552,043 in the week ending January 5, an increase of 61,944 from the previous week. There were 646,219 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending December 29, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,659,813, an increase of 375,371 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,161,063.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 22 was 5,356,271, a decrease of 51,335 from the previous week. There were 7,333,322 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

Extended Benefits were not available in any state during the week ending December 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,134 in the week ending December 29, a decrease of 610 from the prior week. There were 1,609 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 979 from the preceding week.

There were 20,862 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 22, a decrease of 1,494 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,203, a decrease of 1,622 from the prior week.

States reported 1,991,454 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 22, a decrease of 74,252 from the prior week. There were 2,926,676 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending December 22 were in Alaska (6.3), Oregon (3.7), Pennsylvania (3.7), New Jersey (3.6), Puerto Rico (3.6), Montana (3.5), Wisconsin (3.5), Nevada (3.4), California (3.3), Connecticut (3.3), Idaho (3.3), and Illinois (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 29 were in Michigan (+15,107), Pennsylvania (+12,483), Wisconsin (+6,748), New Jersey (+3,436), and Missouri (+3,057), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-11,015), Texas (-7,475), Virginia (-3,148), Illinois (-2,755), and Oklahoma (-1,782).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 5

Dec. 29

Change

Dec. 22

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

371,000

367,000

+4,000

363,000

390,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

552,043

490,099

+61,944

456,835

646,219

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

365,750

359,000

+6,750

360,000

381,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance Dec. 29

Dec. 22

Change

Dec. 15

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,109,000

3,236,000

-127,000

3,206,000

3,606,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,659,813

3,284,442

+375,371

3,253,901

4,161,063

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,197,250

3,223,250

-26,000

3,219,000

3,595,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.4%

2.5%

-0.1

2.5%

2.9%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.9%

2.6%

+0.3

2.5%

3.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 29

Dec. 22

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,134

1,744

-610

1,645

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,609

2,588

-979

1,895

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 22

Dec.15

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,279,500

3,248,021

+31,479

3,771,703

Federal Employees (UCFE)

20,862

22,356

-1,494

29,863

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,203

39,825

-1,622

42,097

EUC 20083

1,991,454

2,065,706

-74,252

2,926,676

Extended Benefits4

1,045

2,320

-1,275

528,184

State Additional Benefits 5

5,412

6,044

-632

4,114

STC / Workshare 6

19,795

23,334

-3,539

30,685

TOTAL

5,356,271

5,407,606

-51,335

7,333,322

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 128,066,082 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 12/29/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

-11,015

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

TX

-7,475

Office were closed for the holiday between 12/24-12/26.

VA

-3,148

No comment.

IL

-2,755

No comment.

OK

-1,782

No comment.

MS

-1,540

No comment.

CO

-1,154

No comment.

PR

-1,083

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

+15,107

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

PA

+12,483

Layoffs in the transportation, construction, food and beverage manufacturing, and metals industries.

WI

+6,748

No comment.

NJ

+3,436

Layoffs in the educational service industry.

MO

+3,057

Layoffs in the transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

IA

+2,804

Increase is a result of processing claims from prior week when offices were closed due to the holiday.

NC

+2,300

Layoffs in the machinery, lumber and wood products, transportation and warehousing, automotive repair, service and parking, rubber and plastic products, petroleum, and textile industries.

OR

+2,185

Increase is a result of processing claims from prior week when offices were closed due to the holiday.

MD

+2,182

No comment.

CA

+2,012

Increase is a result of processing claims from prior week when offices were closed due to the holiday.

AL

+1,913

Layoffs in the administrative and support service, healthcare and social assistance, construction, and textile industries.

TN

+1,589

Layoffs in the administrative and support service, electronics, and construction industries.

KS

+1,387

No comment.

CT

+1,276

No comment.

OH

+1,240

No comment.

ID

+1,219

No comment.

VT

+1,103

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MA

+1,051

Layoffs in the transportation and warehousing 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 10, 2013