News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1883-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : November 2, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Oct. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 327,000, an increase of 18,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 309,000. The 4-week moving average was 311,250, an increase of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 305,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent for the week ending Oct. 21, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 21 was 2,415,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,442,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,432,750, a decrease of 6,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,439,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 300,091 in the week ending Oct. 28, an increase of 8,563 from the previous week. There were 294,376 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.6 percent during the week ending Oct. 21, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,096,218, a decrease of 20,662 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,378,680.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Oct. 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,488 in the week ending Oct. 21, an increase of 316 from the prior week. There were 1,928 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 132 from the preceding week.

There were 16,214 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 14, an increase of 1,504 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,250, an increase of 305 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 14 were in Puerto Rico (3.5 percent), Michigan (3.3), Alaska (3.2), New Jersey (2.4), Pennsylvania (2.4), Arkansas (2.2), Oregon (2.1), California (2.0), Connecticut (2.0), Massachusetts (2.0), and South Carolina (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 21 were in Illinois (+3,753), Ohio (+2,863), Pennsylvania (+2,821), Indiana (+2,068), and New York (+1,962), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-5,020), South Carolina (-1,649), California (-712), Alaska (-213), and Texas (-186).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 28 Oct. 21 Change Oct. 14 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 327,000 309,000 +18,000 300,000 322,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 300,091 291,528 +8,563 271,863 294,376
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 311,250 305,500 +5,750 308,000 339,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 21 Oct. 14 Change Oct. 7 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,415,000 2,442,000 -27,000 2,446,000 2,750,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,096,218 2,116,880 -20,662 2,030,299 2,378,680
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,432,750 2,439,000 -6,250 2,436,750 2,797,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.8% 1.9% -0.1 1.9% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.6% 1.6% 0.0 1.6% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 21
Oct. 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,488 1,172 +316 1,937
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,928 1,796 +132 2,064
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 14
Oct. 7
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,214 14,710 +1,504 17,322
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,250 24,945 +305 28,879
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 11 3 +8 0
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 130,605,286 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/21/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -5,020 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
SC -1,649 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PR +1,028 No comment.
ID +1,093 No comment.
WA +1,182 No comment.
GA +1,430 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY +1,962 Layoffs in the construction and transportation industries.
IN +2,068 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
PA +2,821 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
OH +2,863 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
IL +3,753 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI 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/