News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-84-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 : January 24, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Jan. 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 301,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 302,000. The 4-week moving average was 314,750, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised average of 328,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Jan. 12, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 12 was 2,672,000, a decrease of 75,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,747,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,715,250, a decrease of 10,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,725,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 408,333 in the week ending Jan. 19, a decrease of 141,509 from the previous week. There were 367,583 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Jan. 12, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,276,089, a decrease of 231,990 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,925,963.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Jan. 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,250 in the week ending Jan. 12, an increase of 658 from the prior week. There were 1,775 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 425 from the preceding week.

There were 20,526 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 5, an increase of 2,742 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,955, an increase of 1,545 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 5 were in Michigan (5.1 percent), Alaska (4.5), Pennsylvania (4.3), Rhode Island (4.1), Wisconsin (4.1), Oregon (4.0), Idaho (3.7), New Jersey (3.6), California (3.4), and Massachusetts (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 12 were in California (+27,194), Florida (+8,496), Tennessee (+6,143), Puerto Rico (+4,138), and Texas (+3,793), while the largest decreases were in New York (-25,349), North Carolina (-4,911), Georgia (-4,858), Wisconsin (-3,364), and Massachusetts (-2,970).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 19 Jan. 12 Change Jan. 5 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 301,000 302,000 -1,000 322,000 328,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 408,333 549,842 -141,509 521,311 367,583
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 314,750 328,750 -14,000 340,250 312,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 12 Jan. 5 Change Dec. 29 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,672,000 2,747,000 -75,000 2,688,000 2,465,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,276,089 3,508,079 -231,990 3,273,400 2,925,963
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,715,250 2,725,500 -10,250 2,698,250 2,444,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 2.0% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
2.5% 2.6% -0.1 2.5% 2.2%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 12
Jan. 5
Change
Year

Federal Employees 2,250 1,592 +658 2,717
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,775 1,350 +425 2,132

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 5
Dec. 29
Change
Year

Federal Employees 20,526 17,784 +2,742 21,370
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,955 23,410 +1,545 26,792
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 4,000
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 133,010,953 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/12/2008 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -25,349 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
NC -4,911 Fewer layoffs in the textile, apparel, and furniture industries.
GA -4,858 Fewer layoffs in the service and carpets/rugs industries.
WI -3,364 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
MA -2,970 Fewer layoffs in the service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
OR -2,439 No comment.
WA -1,983 No comment.
NJ -1,764 Fewer layoffs in the service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
SC -1,731 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AR -1,502 No comment.
AL -1,172 Fewer layoffs in the textile and apparel industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
ID +1,132 No comment.
LA +1,202 No comment.
AK +1,597 No comment.
MO +1,795 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
DE +1,805 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
AZ +1,833 No comment.
MI +1,835 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
WV +2,042 No comment.
NV +2,104 No comment.
MD +2,161 No comment.
OH +2,174 No comment.
IN +2,268 Layoffs in the automobile, trade, and manufacturing industries.
IL +2,378 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
TX +3,793 Layoffs in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.
PR +4,138 No comment.
TN +6,143 Layoffs in the construction, industrial machinery, and electrical equipment industries.
FL +8,496 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
CA +27, 194 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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