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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 462,000. The 4-week moving average was 481,250, a decrease of 14,250 from the previous week's revised average of 495,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the week ending Nov. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 21 was 5,465,000, an increase of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,437,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,541,500, a decrease of 75,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,617,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.832 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,989 in the week ending Nov. 28, a decrease of 78,263 from the previous week. There were 535,730 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent during the week ending Nov. 21, a decrease of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,787,291, a decrease of 296,052 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,652,990.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Nov. 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,269 in the week ending Nov. 21, a decrease of 101 from the prior week. There were 2,330 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 368 from the preceding week.

There were 24,523 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 14, an increase of 1,389 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,359, an increase of 1,752 from the prior week.

States reported 3,859,553 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 14, an increase of 265,300 from the prior week. There were 777,393 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include first, second, and third tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 14 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.9), Alaska (5.5), California (5.2), Nevada (5.2), Michigan (5.1), Pennsylvania (5.0), Wisconsin (5.0), North Carolina (4.8), and Washington (4.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 21 were in California (+14,796), Illinois (+6,168), North Carolina (+5,557), Pennsylvania (+5,285), and Texas (+3,500), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-1,242), Indiana (-987), Hawaii (-195), Oregon (-167), and the Virgin Islands (-10).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 28

Nov. 21

Change

Nov. 14

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

457,000

462,000

-5,000

501,000

517,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

460,989

539,252

-78,263

475,700

535,730

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

481,250

495,500

-14,250

513,000

519,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 21

Nov. 14

Change

Nov. 7

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

5,465,000

5,437,000

+28,000

5,613,000

4,104,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,787,291

5,083,343

-296,052

4,883,537

3,652,990

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,541,500

5,617,250

-75,750

5,712,250

4,019,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.1%

4.1%

0.0

4.3%

3.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.6%

3.9%

-0.3

3.7%

2.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 21

Nov. 14

Change

Year

Federal Employees

2,269

2,370

-101

1,956

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,330

1,962

+368

1,830

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 14

Nov. 7

Change

Year

Federal Employees

24,523

23,134

+1,389

15,546

Newly Discharged Veterans

36,359

34,607

+1,752

24,423

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

597,688

539,531

+58,157

22,125

EUC 20083

3,859,553

3,594,253

+265,300

777,393

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 131,823,421 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, and third tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/21/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

-1,242

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CO

+1,083

No comment.

MA

+1,172

Layoffs in the construction industry.

TN

+1,194

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

GA

+1,325

Layoffs in the construction and trade industries.

KS

+1,330

No comment.

OH

+1,491

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NY

+1,589

Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

SC

+1,590

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

AL

+1,610

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

VA

+1,666

No comment.

WI

+1,877

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

KY

+1,882

Layoffs in the mining and manufacturing industries.

AR

+1,965

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

FL

+2,154

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

TX

+3,500

layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

PA

+5,285

Layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.

NC

+5,557

Layoffs in the construction, trade, transportation, lumber/wood, mining, and petroleum industries.

IL

+6,168

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

CA

+14,796

Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
December 3, 2009