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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 402,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 404,000. The 4-week moving average was 405,500, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 403,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 15, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 15 was 3,645,000, a decrease of 96,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,741,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,701,000, a decrease of 26,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,727,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 374,231 in the week ending October 22, an increase of 17,007 from the previous week. There were 408,489 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending October 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,149,676, an increase of 14,906 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,769,438.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 8 was 6,681,507, a decrease of 14,634 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending October 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,845 in the week ending October 15, a decrease of 1,533 from the prior week. There were 2,724 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 688 from the preceding week.

There were 26,697 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 8, an increase of 1,811 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,883, an increase of 922 from the prior week.

States reported 2,921,937 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 8, a decrease of 45,117 from the prior week. There were 3,779,795 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending October 8 were in Puerto Rico (4.1), Alaska (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.5), Oregon (3.4), California (3.3), New Jersey (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Connecticut (3.1), Arkansas (2.9), Illinois (2.9), New Mexico (2.9), and Wisconsin (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 15 were in Puerto Rico (+1,286), Wisconsin (+1,193), South Carolina (+1,189), Oregon (+416), and Nebraska (+241) while the largest decreases were in California (-8,942), New York (-7,273), Texas (-3,489), Pennsylvania (-3,258), and Georgia (-2,740).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 22

Oct. 15

Change

Oct. 8

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

402,000

404,000

-2,000

411,000

435,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

374,231

357,224

+17,007

405,906

408,489

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

405,500

403,750

+1,750

409,750

449,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 15

Oct. 8

Change

Oct. 1

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,645,000

3,741,000

-96,000

3,693,000

4,353,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,149,676

3,134,770

+14,906

3,113,245

3,769,438

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,701,000

3,727,750

-26,750

3,729,750

4,407,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

3.0%

-0.1

2.9%

3.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.5%

2.5%

0.0

2.5%

3.0%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 15

Oct. 8

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,845

4,378

-1,533

5,440

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,724

3,412

-688

2,598

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 8

Oct. 1

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,124,994

3,103,709

+21,285

3,700,704

Federal Employees (UCFE)

26,697

24,886

+1,811

37,306

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

39,883

38,961

+922

41,686

EUC 20083

2,921,937

2,967,054

-45,117

3,779,795

Extended Benefits4

526,435

517,755

+8,680

875,569

State Additional Benefits 5

4,611

4,628

-17

4,078

STC / Workshare 6

36,950

39,148

-2,198

58,481

TOTAL

6,681,507

6,696,141

-14,634

8,497,619

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 126,188,733 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/15/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-8,942

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

NY

-7,273

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, service, and public administration industries.

TX

-3,489

No comment.

PA

-3,258

No comment.

GA

-2,740

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

IL

-2,525

No comment.

OH

-2,265

No comment.

MD

-2,028

No comment.

WA

-1,990

No comment.

NJ

-1,625

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

AL

-1,575

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

MA

-1,320

KY

-1,292

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PR

+1,286

No comment.

WI

+1,193

No comment.

SC

+1,189

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

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 27, 2011