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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 467,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 491,000. The 4-week moving average was 525,750, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised average of 552,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Dec. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.4 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 27 was 4,611,000, an increase of 101,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,510,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,470,000, an increase of 45,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,425,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 726,420 in the week ending Jan. 3, an increase of 9,420 from the previous week. There were 521,311 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.0 percent during the week ending Dec. 27, an increase of 0.6 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,316,124, an increase of 743,487 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,273,400.

Extended benefits were available in North Carolina, Oregon, and Rhode Island during the week ending Dec. 20.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,420 in the week ending Dec. 27, a decrease of 193 from the prior week. There were 1,116 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 841 from the preceding week.

There were 19,144 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 20, an increase of 199 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,088, a decrease of 1,410 from the prior week.

States reported 1,922,497 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 20, an increase of 359,728 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 20 were in Oregon (6.1 percent), Idaho (5.3), Michigan (5.2), Nevada (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.0), Pennsylvania (4.7), Wisconsin (4.7), South Carolina (4.4), Arkansas (4.3), Indiana (4.2), New Jersey (4.2), and Washington (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 27 were in Wisconsin (+16,081), Michigan (+10,524), Kansas (+10,485), Massachusetts (+10,265), and New Jersey (+7,330), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-13,232), California (-9,702), Florida (-8,566), Virginia (-5,943), and South Carolina (-4,678).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 3

Dec. 27

Change

Dec. 20

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

467,000

491,000

-24,000

589,000

330,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

726,420

717,000

+9,420

719,615

521,311

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

525,750

552,750

-27,000

558,750

342,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 27

Dec. 20

Change

Dec. 13

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,611,000

4,510,000

+101,000

4,372,000

2,690,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,316,124

4,572,637

+743,487

4,594,820

3,273,400

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,470,000

4,425,000

+45,000

4,320,250

2,694,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.4%

3.4%

0.0

3.3%

2.0%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.0%

3.4%

+0.6

3.4%

2.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 27

Dec. 20

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,420

1,613

-193

1,446

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,116

1,957

-841

948

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 20

Dec. 13

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,144

18,945

+199

18,294

Newly Discharged Veterans

24,088

25,498

-1,410

22,908

Railroad Retirement Board

4,000

4,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

1,168

1,671

-503

0

EUC 2008

1,922,497

1,562,769

+359,728

0

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 133,902,387 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/27/2008

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TX

-13,232

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

CA

-9,702

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and finance industries.

FL

-8,566

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

VA

-5,943

No comment.

SC

-4,678

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

LA

-3,618

No comment.

AZ

-3,596

No comment.

MO

-3,283

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

GA

-3,102

Fewer layoffs in the trade and textile industries.

NY

-2,765

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

CO

-2,714

No comment.

TN

-2,584

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

NV

-2,038

No comment.

NC

-1,881

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

AR

-1,746

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

PR

-1,705

No comment.

UT

-1,572

No comment.

WV

-1,485

No comment.

KY

-1,469

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MT

-1,221

No comment.

IL

-1,171

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

VT

+1,059

No comment.

ID

+1,358

No comment.

OR

+1,465

Layoffs in the public administration and manufacturing industries.

IA

+1,870

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

IN

+1,960

Layoffs in the automobile, trade, and manufacturing industries.

MD

+2,176

No comment.

OH

+3,271

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WA

+5,332

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

PA

+6,664

Layoffs in the industrial machinery, fabricated metals, transportation, and food industries.

NJ

+7,330

Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, warehousing, public administration, and manufacturing industries.

MA

+10,265

Layoffs in the transportation industry.

KS

+10,485

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MI

+10,524

Holiday shutdowns in a variety of industries contributed to the increase.

WI

+16,081

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
January 8, 2009