News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-2031-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 : December 7, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 324,000, a decrease of 34,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 358,000. The 4-week moving average was 328,750, an increase of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 325,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Nov. 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 25 was 2,524,000, an increase of 57,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,467,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,466,500, an increase of 20,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,446,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 449,309 in the week ending Dec. 2, an increase of 125,748 from the previous week. There were 444,600 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Nov. 25, an increase of 0.4 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,635,485, an increase of 560,883 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,695,927.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Nov. 18.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,275 in the week ending Nov. 25, a decrease of 1,209 from the prior week. There were 1,373 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 557 from the preceding week.

There were 14,732 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 18, a decrease of 2,127 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,116, a decrease of 2,902 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 18 were in Alaska (3.8 percent), Michigan (2.8), Arkansas (2.7), New Jersey (2.4), Oregon (2.4), Pennsylvania (2.4), Puerto Rico (2.3), Massachusetts (2.2), Wisconsin (2.2), and Rhode Island (2.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 25 were in Wisconsin (+10,655), Texas (+4,855), Indiana (+1,842), Mississippi (+1,125), and Iowa (+1,011), while the largest decreases were in California (-10,870), Illinois (-5,597), Florida (-4,704), New Jersey (-3,880), and North Carolina
(-3,737).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 2 Nov. 25 Change Nov. 18 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 324,000 358,000 -34,000 323,000 316,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 449,309 323,561 +125,748 367,690 444,600
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 328,750 325,250 +3,500 317,750 315,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 25 Nov. 18 Change Nov. 11 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,524,000 2,467,000 +57,000 2,435,000 2,582,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,635,485 2,074,602 +560,883 2,269,427 2,695,927
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,466,500 2,446,250 +20,250 2,430,750 2,688,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.0% 1.6% +0.4 1.7% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 25
Nov. 18
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,275 2,484 -1,209 1,212
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,373 1,930 -557 1,629
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 18
Nov. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,732 16,859 -2,127 16,734
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,116 26,018 -2,902 24,740
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 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.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/25/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -10,870 Decrease due to a shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
IL -5,597 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL -4,704 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
NJ -3,880 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NC -3,737 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, textile, furniture, and fabricated metals industries.
PR -3,010 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
MI -2,927 No comment.
WA -2,625 No comment.
PA -2,530 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
SC -2,514 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY -2,115 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and transportation industries.
GA -2,104 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and textile industries.
AZ -2,008 No comment.
MO -1,804 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
MN -1,250 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
AL -1,029 Fewer layoffs in the trade and primary metals industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IA +1,011 No comment.
MS +1,125 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
IN +1,842 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
TX +4,855 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WI +10,655 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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