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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 381,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 404,000. The 4-week moving average was 393,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 396,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending November 26, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending November 26 was 3,583,000, a decrease of 174,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,757,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,667,250, a decrease of 20,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,687,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 523,642 in the week ending December 3, an increase of 151,002 from the previous week. There were 585,711 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending November 26, an increase of 0.4 percentage points from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,679,992, an increase of 512,961 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,216,488.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending November 19 was 6,574,837, a decrease of 431,307 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 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,003 in the week ending November 26, a decrease of 294 from the prior week. There were 1,808 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 959 from the preceding week.

There were 27,703 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending November 19, a decrease of 2,137 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,628, a decrease of 4,411 from the prior week.

States reported 2,794,284 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending November 19, a decrease of 178,610 from the prior week. There were 3,711,136 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 19 were in Alaska (5.6), Puerto Rico (4.7), Oregon (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.5), Connecticut (3.3), Nevada (3.3), New Jersey (3.3), Arkansas (3.2), Idaho (3.1), and Rhode Island (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending November 26 were in Wisconsin (+8,172), Michigan ( (+2,643), Iowa (+2,228), Indiana (+1,645), and Ohio (+1,500) while the largest decreases were in California (-27,440), Texas (-8,543), Florida (-5,306), South Carolina (-4,670), and New York (-4,614).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Dec. 3

Nov. 26

Change

Nov. 19

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

381,000

404,000

-23,000

396,000

425,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

523,642

372,640

+151,002

440,157

585,711

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

393,250

396,250

-3,000

395,250

430,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Nov. 26

Nov. 19

Change

Nov. 12

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,583,000

3,757,000

-174,000

3,706,000

4,126,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,679,992

3,167,031

+512,961

3,375,917

4,216,488

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,667,250

3,687,750

-20,500

3,675,250

4,223,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.8%

3.0%

-0.2

2.9%

3.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.9%

2.5%

+0.4

2.7%

3.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 26

Nov. 19

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,003

2,297

-294

2,445

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,808

2,767

-959

1,574

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 19

Nov. 12

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,157,888

3,365,659

-207,771

3,654,367

Federal Employees (UCFE)

27,703

29,840

-2,137

43,802

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,628

43,039

-4,411

39,843

EUC 20083

2,794,284

2,972,894

-178,610

3,711,136

Extended Benefits4

515,560

548,554

-32,994

795,733

State Additional Benefits 5

4,532

4,628

-96

4,514

STC / Workshare 6

36,242

41,530

-5,288

48,595

TOTAL

6,574,837

7,006,144

-431,307

8,297,990

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 11/26/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-27,440

Fewer layoff in the service industry.

TX

-8,543

Decrease in claims due to State offices closed.

FL

-5,306

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

SC

-4,670

Fewer layoff in the manufacturing industry.

NY

-4,614

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, education services, health care and social assistance industries.

GA

-4,013

Decrease in claims due to holiday.

IL

-3,762

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

NC

-3,485

Fewer layoffs in non classifiable establishments, service, textile mill, and health care industries.

CT

-2,407

Resumption of normal claims levels following spik due to October snow storm.

AZ

-1,981

No comment.

MO

-1,845

Fewer layoffs in the construction, retail, health care, and service industries.

KY

-1,732

No comment.

VA

-1,672

Fewer layoff in the service industry.

LA

-1,544

No comment.

NJ

-1,511

Fewer layoff in the service, retail, transportation, health care and social assistance industries.

TN

-1,302

No comment.

CO

-1,268

No comment.

AK

-1,218

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

WI

+8,172

Layoffs due to the holiday.

MI

+2,643

Layoffs in the construction industry.

IA

+2,228

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

IN

+1,645

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

OH

+1,500

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
December 8, 2011