News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-1843-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : December 6, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 338,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 353,000. The 4-week moving average was 340,250, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 335,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Nov. 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 24 was 2,599,000, a decrease of 59,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,658,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,593,750, an increase of 6,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,587,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 461,767 in the week ending Dec. 1, an increase of 137,638 from the previous week. There were 448,898 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Nov. 24, an increase of 0.4 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,731,681, an increase of 514,527 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,620,460.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Nov. 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,206 in the week ending Nov. 24, a decrease of 543 from the prior week. There were 1,086 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 412 from the preceding week.

There were 14,206 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 17, a decrease of 1,074 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,649, a decrease of 1,280 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 17 were in Alaska (3.7 percent), Michigan (2.9), New Jersey (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.6), Oregon (2.5), Arkansas (2.4), Rhode Island (2.3), Massachusetts (2.2), Wisconsin (2.1), California (2.0), Connecticut (2.0), Nevada (2.0), and South Carolina (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 24 were in Wisconsin (+14,126), Pennsylvania (+4,411), Iowa (+3,435), Arkansas (+2,571), and Indiana (+2,060), while the largest decreases were in California (-10,435), North Carolina (4,142), Texas (-3,425), Georgia (-2,939), and Florida (-2,868).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 1 Nov. 24 Change Nov. 17 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 338,000 353,000 -15,000 329,000 323,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 461,767 324,129 +137,638 323,276 448,898
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 340,250 335,500 +4,750 329,500 327,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 24 Nov. 17 Change Nov. 10 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,599,000 2,658,000 -59,000 2,554,000 2,484,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,731,681 2,217,154 +514,527 2,290,571 2,620,460
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,593,750 2,587,750 +6,000 2,569,000 2,454,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.1% 1.7% +0.4 1.7% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 24
Nov. 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,206 1,749 -543 1,298
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,086 1,498 -412 1,458
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 17
Nov. 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,206 15,280 -1,074 14,735
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,649 22,929 -1,280 23,131
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 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 132,623,886 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/24/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -10,435 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
NC -4,142 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, textile, furniture, lumber/wood, and service industries.
TX -3,425 Fewer layoffs in the finance, service, and manufacturing industries.
GA -2,939 No comment.
FL -2,868 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
PR -2,484 No comment.
MI -2,155 No comment.
AL -1,310 No comment.
TN -1,305 Fewer layoffs in the fabricated metals, chemical, service, and transportation equipment industries.
SC -1,195 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO -1,171 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OK +1,127 No comment.
MA +1,135 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
ID +1,509 No comment.
OH +1,582 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR +1,743 Layoffs in the construction industry.
IN +2,060 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
AR +2,571 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
IA +3,435 Layoffs in the trade and food industries.
PA +4,411 Layoffs in the transportation, food, leather goods, and manufacturing industries.
WI +14,126 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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