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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 452,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 475,000. The 4-week moving average was 458,000, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 462,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Oct. 9, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 9 was 4,441,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,450,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,478,000, a decrease of 23,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,501,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 391,737 in the week ending Oct. 16, a decrease of 71,303 from the previous week. There were 460,269 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending Oct. 9, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,686,287, a decrease of 25,353 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,916,574.

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 Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Oct. 2.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 10,756 in the week ending Oct. 9, an increase of 5,912 from the prior week. There were 3,158 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 463 from the preceding week.

There were 32,134 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 2, an increase of 118 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,040, a decrease of 901 from the prior week.

States reported 4,040,113 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Oct. 2, an increase of 152,112 from the prior week. There were 3,428,585 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 2 were in Puerto Rico (6.4 percent), Alaska (4.4), Nevada (4.0), California (3.9), New Jersey (3.9), Oregon (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.8), Connecticut (3.6), South Carolina (3.5), and Illinois (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 9 were in New York (+8,558), North Carolina (+8,470), California (+7,929), Florida (+7,229), and Pennsylvania (+5,682), while the largest decreases were in the Virgin Islands (-34), and Hawaii (-17).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 16

Oct. 9

Change

Oct. 2

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

452,000

475,000

-23,000

449,000

535,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

391,737

463,040

-71,303

373,681

460,269

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

458,000

462,250

-4,250

456,750

533,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 9.

Oct. 2

Change

Sept. 25

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,441,000

4,450,000

-9,000

4,511,000

5,888,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,686,287

3,711,640

-25,353

3,779,896

4,916,574

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,478,000

4,501,250

-23,250

4,523,000

5,959,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.6%

4.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.9%

2.9%

0.0

3.0%

3.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 9

Oct. 2

Change

Year

Federal Employees

10,756

4,844

+5,912

2,261

Newly Discharged Veterans

3,158

2,695

+463

2,700

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 2

Sept. 25

Change

Year

Federal Employees

32,134

32,016

+118

20,149

Newly Discharged Veterans

41,040

41,941

-901

30,780

Railroad Retirement Board

3,000

3,000

0

11,000

Extended Benefits

1,033,717

907,298

+126,419

634,601

EUC 20083

4,040,113

3,888,001

+152,112

3,428,585

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 125,845,577 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/09/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

UT

+1,089

No comment.

MA

+1,192

No comment.

AK

+1,226

No comment.

NJ

+1,312

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

VA

+1,328

Layoffs in the construction industry.

CO

+1,346

No comment.

AL

+1,454

Layoffs in the construction and primary metals industries.

TN

+1,512

Layoffs in the trade, service, and industrial machinery industries.

MO

+1,665

Layoffs in the service industry.

SC

+1,690

Layoffs in the service and textile industries.

AZ

+2,048

No comment.

IN

+2,075

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

AR

+2,211

No comment.

WA

+2,319

Layoffs in the construction, public administration, and manufacturing industries.

GA

+2,336

Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

MI

+2,652

No comment.

IL

+2,665

No comment.

MD

+2,857

No comment.

OH

+3,003

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TX

+4,671

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

PA

+5,682

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

FL

+7,229

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

CA

+7,929

Layoffs in the service industry.

NC

+8,470

Layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, textile, and petroleum industries.

NY

+8,558

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

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
October 21, 2010