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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 406,000. The 4-week moving average was 404,500, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 406,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 22, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 22 was 3,683,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,698,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,703,250, a decrease of 10,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,713,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 366,923 in the week ending October 29, a decrease of 10,433 from the previous week. There were 421,097 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending October 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,178,790, a decrease of 16,241 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,759,365.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 15 was 6,781,960, an increase of 103,117 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 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,332 in the week ending October 22, a decrease of 515 from the prior week. There were 2,667 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 64 from the preceding week.

There were 29,178 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 15, an increase of 2,455 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,063, an increase of 1,165 from the prior week.

States reported 2,945,642 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 15, an increase of 23,705 from the prior week. There were 3,978,374 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 15 were in Puerto Rico (5.0), Alaska (4.4), Pennsylvania (3.6), Oregon (3.5), California (3.4), New Jersey (3.4), Virgin Islands (3.4), Nevada (3.2), Arkansas (3.1), and Connecticut (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 22 were in California (+7,176), New York (+2,494), Illinois (+2,057), Georgia (+1,642), and Pennsylvania (+1,579) while the largest decreases were in Florida (-2,230), Puerto Rico (-1,393), Washington (-898), Arizona (-735), and Arkansas (-567).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 29

Oct. 22

Change

Oct. 15

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

397,000

406,000

-9,000

404,000

454,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

366,923

377,356

-10,433

357,562

421,097

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

404,500

406,500

-2,000

403,750

451,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 22

Oct. 15

Change

Oct. 8

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,683,000

3,698,000

-15,000

3,739,000

4,351,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,178,790

3,195,031

-16,241

3,133,644

3,759,365

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,703,250

3,713,750

-10,500

3,727,250

4,382,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

2.9%

0.0

3.0%

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. 22

Oct. 15

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,332

2,847

-515

3,804

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,667

2,731

-64

2,593

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 15

Oct. 8

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,186,845

3,123,868

+62,977

3,753,481

Federal Employees (UCFE)

29,178

26,723

+2,455

45,319

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

41,063

39,898

+1,165

42,868

EUC 20083

2,945,642

2,921,937

+23,705

3,978,374

Extended Benefits4

540,443

524,856

+15,587

1,034,703

State Additional Benefits 5

4,551

4,611

-60

4,040

STC / Workshare 6

34,238

36,950

-2,712

57,737

TOTAL

6,781,960

6,678,843

+103,117

8,916,522

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 10/22/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

-2,230

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

PR

-1,393

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

+7,176

Layoffs in the service industry.

NY

+2,494

Layoffs in the construction, finance and insurance, and transportation industries.

IL

+2,057

Layoffs in the construction, service, and trade industries.

GA

+1,642

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

PA

+1,579

Layoffs in the construction, retail, service, and healthcare industries.

TN

+1,493

Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.

WI

+1,291

No comment.

NJ

+1,074

Layoffs in the construction, retail, service, manufacturing, and healthcare industries.

MA

+1,049

Layoffs in the construction industry.

NC

+1,021

Layoffs in the construction, petroleum refining, and transportation 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
November 3, 2011