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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-6871
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted
initial claims was 368,000, an increase of 79,000 from the previous week's
revised figure of 289,000. The 4-week moving average was 321,250, an increase
of 13,500 from the previous week's revised average of 307,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9
percent for the week ending Dec. 19, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from
the prior week's revised rate of 1.8 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during
the week ending Dec. 19 was 2,228,000, an increase of 17,000 from the preceding
week's revised level of 2,211,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,234,000, a
decrease of 15,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,249,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs,
unadjusted, totaled 437,005 in the week ending Dec. 26, an increase of 92,843
from the previous week. There were 445,170 initial claims in the comparable
week in 1997.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent during
the week ending Dec. 19, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior
week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state
programs totaled 2,139,329, a decrease of 149,072 from the preceding week. A
year earlier, the rate was 1.8 percent and the volume was 2,134,056.
Extended benefits were available in Puerto Rico during the week ending
Dec. 12.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees
totaled 1,504 in the week ending Dec. 19, a decrease of 402 from the prior
week. There were 1,352 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease
of 49 from the preceding week.
There were 20,233 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits
for the week ending Dec. 12, a decrease of 1,300 from the previous week. Newly
discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 16,265, an increase of 970 from
the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 12 were
in Puerto Rico (5.9 percent), Alaska (5.8), Washington (3.4), California (3.1),
Oregon (3.1), Idaho (3.0), Rhode Island (3.0), Arkansas (2.8), Pennsylvania
(2.8), and Montana (2.7).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 19 were
in Texas (+3,057), Connecticut (+1,210), Kentucky (+1,030), Missouri (+893),
and Wisconsin (+855), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina
(-4,012), Georgia (-3,026), Maine (-2,384), Alabama (-1,665), and Florida
(-1,648).
===============================================================================
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
===============================================================================
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 26 Dec. 19 Change Dec. 12 Year
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial Claims (SA) 368,000 289,000 +79,000 300,000 316,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 437,005 344,162 +92,843 358,105 445,170
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 321,250 307,750 +13,500 310,500 313,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 19 Dec. 12 Change Dec. 5 Year
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,228,000 2,211,000 +17,000 2,244,000 2,237,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,139,329 2,288,401 -149,072 2,189,947 2,134,056
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,234,000 2,249,500 -15,500 2,241,000 2,241,250
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.8% +0.1 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.8% 1.9% -0.1 1.8% 1.8%
===============================================================================
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
===============================================================================
Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 19 Dec. 12 Change Year
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Employees 1,504 1,906 -402 1,782
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,352 1,401 -49 1,652
===============================================================================
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
===============================================================================
Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 12 Dec. 5 Change Year
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Employees 20,233 21,533 -1,300 26,978
Newly Discharged Veterans 16,265 15,295 +970 18,412
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 16,505 17,743 -1,238 15,743
===============================================================================
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 120,074,066 as denominator.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/19/1998
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -4,012 Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, and tobacco industries.
GA -3,026 Fewer layoffs in the carpets/rugs and wood products industries.
ME -2,384 No comment.
AL -1,665 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, and primary metals industries.
FL -1,648 Fewer layoffs the construction, trade, and service industries,
manufacturing, and agriculture.
SC -1,515 No comment.
PA -1,464 Fewer layoffs in the paper, furniture, transportation equipment, and
primary metals industries.
MI -1,183 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
TN -1,166 Fewer layoffs in the food, textile, apparel, paper,
printing/publishing, fabricated metals, industrial machinery, and
trade industries.
OH -1,129 No comment.
WV -1,041 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY +1,030 Layoffs in the fabricated metals, rubber/plastics, and electrical
equipment industries.
CT +1,210 No comment.
TX +3,057 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, non-electrical machinery,
oil/gas, and rubber/plastics industries, and manufacturing.
TECHNICAL NOTE ON UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS REPORT WEEK ENDING
12/26/98
Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims data are often volatile. Changes
for any one week are not necessarily indicative of directional changes in the
economy.
Advanced Seasonally Adjusted Initial Claims rose 79,000 in the week
ending 12/26/98 to 368,000.
In the past, when the Christmas holiday falls on a Friday, there is not
usually much of a change in unadjusted claims from the prior week. When the
holiday falls on any other day of the week there is usually a substantial rise.
The seasonal factors reflect that fact.
This year, with a Friday Christmas holiday, there was a substantial rise
in the unadjusted data for this week. We do not yet have comments from States.
We know that there were winter storms in a number of areas of the country that
week. We will not know to what extent this might have affected the numbers
until comments are received next week.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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