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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 434,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 433,000. The 4-week moving average was 450,250, a decrease of 10,250 from the previous week's revised average of 460,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending Dec. 26, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 26 was 4,802,000, a decrease of 179,000 from the preceding week's unrevised level of 4,981,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,005,750, a decrease of 95,250 from the preceding week's unrevised average of 5,101,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.565 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 645,571 in the week ending Jan. 2, an increase of 88,000 from the previous week. There were 731,958 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.2 percent during the week ending Dec. 26, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,479,110, an increase of 388,729 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.0 percent and the volume was 5,317,388.

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 Dec. 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,651 in the week ending Dec. 26, a decrease of 105 from the prior week. There were 1,381 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 893 from the preceding week.

There were 25,771 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 19, a decrease of 651 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 34,397, a decrease of 3,129 from the prior week.

States reported 5,143,410 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 19, an increase of 235,626 from the prior week. There were 1,922,488 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 19 were in Alaska (6.7 percent), Oregon (5.9), Puerto Rico (5.8), Nevada (5.6), Idaho (5.5), Pennsylvania (5.2), Wisconsin (5.2), Montana (5.1), Washington (5.1), and Michigan (5.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 26 were in Pennsylvania (+9,653), Kentucky (+6,069), Indiana (+5,537), Kansas (+5,166), and Ohio (+4,361), while the largest decreases were in California (-23,160), Texas (-7,956), Georgia (-4,661), Florida (-3,736), and North Carolina (-2,993).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 2

Dec. 26

Change

Dec. 19

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

434,000

433,000

+1,000

454,000

488,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

645,571

557,571

+88,000

565,243

731,958

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

450,250

460,500

-10,250

465,750

528,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 26

Dec. 19

Change

Dec. 12

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,802,000

4,981,000

-179,000

5,038,000

4,529,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,479,110

5,090,381

+388,729

5,345,467

5,317,388

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,005,750

5,101,000

-95,250

5,223,250

4,421,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.6%

3.8%

-0.2

3.8%

3.4%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.2%

3.9%

+0.3

4.1%

4.0%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 26

Dec. 19

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,651

1,756

-105

1,419

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,381

2,274

-893

1,115

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 19

Dec. 12

Change

Year

Federal Employees

25,771

26,422

-651

19,158

Newly Discharged Veterans

34,397

37,526

-3,129

24,112

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

5,000

Extended Benefits

296,534

367,498

-70,964

1,168

EUC 20083

5,143,410

4,907,784

+235,626

1,922,488

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, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/26/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-23,160

Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

TX

-7,956

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

GA

-4,661

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

FL

-3,736

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

NC

-2,993

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

AZ

-2,175

No comment.

NY

-2,043

Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and real estate industries.

NV

-1,871

No comment.

CO

-1,421

No comment.

LA

-1,386

No comment.

CT

-1,307

No comment.

OK

-1,246

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TN

+1,461

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MD

+1,489

No comment.

AR

+1,638

No comment.

MO

+2,342

Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

NJ

+2,540

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

IL

+2,571

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

WI

+2,749

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

MA

+2,757

No comment.

MI

+2,994

No comment.

OH

+4,361

No comment.

KS

+5,166

No comment.

IN

+5,537

Layoffs in the automobile, transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.

KY

+6,069

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

PA

+9,653

Layoffs in the construction, service, food, and transportation industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
January 7, 2010