News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-845-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 December 11, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 378,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 365,000. The 4-week moving average was 364,750, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 362,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Nov. 29, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 29 was 3,346,000, an increase of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,335,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,373,750, a decrease of 32,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,406,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 490,406 in the week ending Dec. 6, an increase of 133,566 from the previous week. There were 547,430 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Nov. 29, an increase of 0.4 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,429,500, an increase of 488,281 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,618,507.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Nov. 22.

53 states reported that 778,518 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,266 in the week ending Nov. 29, a decrease of 1,019 from the prior week. There were 1,008 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 671 from the preceding week.

There were 19,499 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 22, a decrease of 2,494 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,267, a decrease of 2,116 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 22 were in Alaska (5.2 percent), Puerto Rico (3.9), Oregon (3.8), Washington (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.2), California (3.0), Idaho (3.0), New Jersey (3.0), Michigan (2.9), Arkansas (2.8), Massachusetts (2.8), and Wisconsin (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 29 were in Wisconsin (+13,541), Minnesota (+2,811), Idaho (+1,882), Iowa (+1,757), and Indiana (+1,407), while the largest decreases were in California (-19,629), Missouri (-5,816), Kentucky (-5,084), Illinois (-4,602), and South Carolina (-3,455).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 6  Nov. 29 Change Nov. 22  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 378,000 365,000 +13,000 354,000 429,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 490,406 356,840 +133,566 397,425 547,430
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 364,750 362,500 +2,250 359,500 396,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 29 Nov. 22  Change Nov. 15 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,346,000 3,335,000 +11,000 3,339,000 3,417,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,429,500 2,941,219 +488,281 3,132,129 3,618,507
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,373,750 3,406,250 -32,500 3,441,250 3,480,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.3% +0.4 2.5% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 29
Nov. 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,266 2,285 -1,019 1,432
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,008 1,679 -671 850
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 22
Nov. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 19,499 21,993 -2,494 18,622
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,267 24,383 -2,116 18,028
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 28,681 29,030 -349 14,897
Federal (TEUC) 778,518 811,980 -33,462 732,457
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 126,428,924 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/29/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -19,629 Decrease due to a short workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the service industry.
MO -5,816 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
KY -5,084 No comment.
IL -4,602 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -3,455 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL -3,391 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
AL -2,819 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment and manufacturing industries.
GA -2,390 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
NC -2,355 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NY -2,156 No comment.
VA -2,011 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI -1,905 No comment.
WA -1,301 No comment.
AZ -1,280 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
MA +1,123 No comment.
IN +1,407 No comment.
IA +1,757 No comment.
ID +1,882 No comment.
MN +2,811 Layoffs in the construction industry.
WI +13,541 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, communications, public utilities, and manufacturing industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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