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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending November 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 393,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 391,000. The 4-week moving average was 394,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 397,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending November 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending November 12 was 3,691,000, an increase of 68,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,623,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,671,500, a decrease of 2,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,673,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 437,049 in the week ending November 19, an increase of 74,214 from the previous week. There were 464,817 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending November 12, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,362,820, an increase of 185,343 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,871,043.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending November 5 was 6,728,652, a decrease of 44,608 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 November 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,425 in the week ending November 12, an increase of 296 from the prior week. There were 2,399 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 366 from the preceding week.

There were 28,322 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending November 5, a decrease of 565 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,149, a decrease of 923 from the prior week.

States reported 2,896,629 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending November 5, a decrease of 38,837 from the prior week. There were 3,801,294 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 November 5 were in Alaska (5.1), Puerto Rico (4.7), Oregon (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.5), Connecticut (3.4), New Jersey (3.4), California (3.3), Nevada (3.2), Arkansas (3.1), New Mexico (3.0), and South Carolina (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending November 12 were in Indiana (+2,251), Minnesota (+839), Iowa (+745), Connecticut (+541), and Puerto Rico (+274) while the largest decreases were in California (-9,382), Pennsylvania (-3,994), Texas (-2,831), Massachusetts (-2,223), and New York (-2,161).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Nov. 19

Nov. 12

Change

Nov. 5

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

393,000

391,000

+2,000

393,000

416,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

437,049

362,835

+74,214

402,532

464,817

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

394,250

397,500

-3,250

400,750

436,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance Nov. 12

Nov. 5

Change

Oct. 29

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,691,000

3,623,000

+68,000

3,665,000

4,226,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,362,820

3,177,477

+185,343

3,210,417

3,871,043

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,671,500

3,673,750

-2,250

3,702,750

4,290,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

2.9%

0.0

2.9%

3.4%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.7%

2.5%

+0.2

2.5%

3.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 12

Nov. 5

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,425

2,129

+296

3,301

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,399

2,765

-366

2,194

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 5

Oct. 29

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,168,697

3,200,997

-32,300

3,722,997

Federal Employees (UCFE)

28,322

28,887

-565

43,847

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

40,149

41,072

-923

42,006

EUC 20083

2,896,629

2,935,466

-38,837

3,801,294

Extended Benefits4

555,256

523,772

+31,484

863,470

State Additional Benefits 5

4,646

4,674

-28

4,377

STC / Workshare 6

34,953

38,392

-3,439

54,547

TOTAL

6,728,652

6,773,260

-44,608

8,532,538

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 paid, 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 11/12/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-9,382

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

PA

-3,994

No comment.

TX

-2,831

No comment.

MA

-2,223

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

NY

-2,161

Fewer layoffs in the construction, healthcare and social assistance, and manufacturing industries.

WA

-1,473

No comment.

IL

-1,454

No comment.

FL

-1,433

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

MD

-1,403

No comment.

OH

-1,379

No comment.

NC

-1,285

No comment.

MI

-1,130

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

GA

-1,101

Fewer layoffs in the trade, construction, healthcare and social assistance, and service industries.

VA

-1,072

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

AZ

-1,035

No comment.

SC

-1,013

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

IN

+2,251

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
November 23, 2011