News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-2054-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 14, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 304,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 324,000. The 4-week moving average was 327,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 328,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Dec. 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 2 was 2,477,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,510,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,472,250, an increase of 9,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,463,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 381,697 in the week ending Dec. 9, a decrease of 67,160 from the previous week. There were 391,961 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Dec. 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,440,288, a decrease of 180,159 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,542,217.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Nov. 25.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,231 in the week ending Dec. 2, an increase of 933 from the prior week. There were 2,176 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 718 from the preceding week.

There were 18,684 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 25, an increase of 3,949 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,865, an increase of 3,734 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 25 were in Puerto Rico (5.0 percent), Alaska (4.8), Michigan (3.5), Arkansas (3.3), Wisconsin (3.1), Oregon (2.9), Pennsylvania (2.9), New Jersey (2.8), California (2.6), and South Carolina (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 2 were in North Carolina (+16,509), Georgia (+14,316), Pennsylvania (+12,782), New York (+10,365), and California (+9,359), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-5,607), Wisconsin (-4,960), Arkansas (-1,137), Oklahoma (-453), and Indiana (-134).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 9 Dec. 2 Change Nov. 25 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 304,000 324,000 -20,000 358,000 321,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 381,697 448,857 -67,160 323,509 391,961
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 327,250 328,750 -1,500 325,250 319,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 2 Nov. 25 Change Nov. 18 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,477,000 2,510,000 -33,000 2,467,000 2,594,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,440,288 2,620,447 -180,159 2,074,608 2,542,217
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,472,250 2,463,000 +9,250 2,446,250 2,654,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 1.6% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Dec. 2
Nov. 25
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,231 1,298 +933 2,223
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,176 1,458 +718 2,746
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 25
Nov. 18
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,684 14,735 +3,949 21,377
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,865 23,131 +3,734 30,166
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 1 0 +1 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 12/02/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX -5,607 Fewer layoffs in the trade, finance, and manufacturing industries.
WI -4,960 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
AR -1,137 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
AZ +1,071 No comment.
UT +1,111 No comment.
KS +1,119 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
MT +1,180 No comment.
CT +1,332 Layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
WV +1,543 Layoffs in the construction, mining, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
CO +1,733 Return to a five day workweek.
OH +2,044 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
VA +2,198 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ +3,196 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
TN +3,257 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PR +3,594 No comment.
MN +3,626 Layoffs in the construction industry.
FL +3,692 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MO +3,811 Layoffs in the construction and transportation industries.
AL +3,905 Layoffs in the apparel and service industries.
MI +4,648 Layoffs in the construction industry.
IL +5,746 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
WA +7,412 Return to a five day workweek, inclement weather, and layoffs in the mining industry.
SC +9,100 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CA +9,359 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
NY +10,365 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
PA +12,782 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
GA +14,316 Layoffs in the textile industry.
NC +16,509 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, textile, and furniture industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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