News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-1763-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 4, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Nov. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 509,000, a decrease of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 530,000. The 4-week moving average was 524,500, an increase of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 518,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 22 was 4,087,000, an increase of 89,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,998,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,001,750, an increase of 63,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,938,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 529,941 in the week ending Nov. 29, a decrease of 78,974 from the previous week. There were 462,902 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Nov. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,649,809, a decrease of 132,069 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,725,542.

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Extended benefits were available in North Carolina and Rhode Island during the week ending Nov. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,950 in the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 52 from the prior week. There were 1,830 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 245 from the preceding week.

There were 15,543 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 15, an increase of 716 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,427, an increase of 1,110 from the prior week.

States reported 709,898 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 15, an increase of 1,815 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 15 were in Puerto Rico (5.2 percent), Oregon (4.5), Michigan (4.0), Nevada (4.0), Alaska (3.9), California (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Idaho (3.7), New Jersey (3.7), and South Carolina (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 22 were in California (+10,882), Ohio (+6,658), Michigan (+6,611), Indiana (+6,501), and Missouri (+5,820), while the largest decreases were in Nebraska (-72), Utah (-37), the Virgin Islands (-8), and North Dakota (-4).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 29 Nov. 22 Change Nov. 15 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 509,000 530,000 -21,000 543,000 340,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 529,941 608,915 -78,974 513,000 462,902
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 524,500 518,250 +6,250 507,000 340,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 22 Nov. 15 Change Nov. 8 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 4,087,000 3,998,000 +89,000 4,016,000 2,611,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,649,809 3,781,878 -132,069 3,521,971 2,725,542
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 4,001,750 3,938,000 +63,750 3,868,750 2,609,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.1% 3.0% +0.1 3.0% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
2.7% 2.8% -0.1 2.6% 2.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 22
Nov. 15
Change
Year

Federal Employees 1,950 1,898 +52 1,207
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,830 1,585 +245 1,086

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 15
Nov. 8
Change
Year

Federal Employees 15,543 14,827 +716 14,228
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,427 23,317 +1,110 21,672
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 127 106 +21 0
EUC 2008 709,898 708,083 +1,815 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 133,902,387 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/22/2008 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
RI +1,031 Layoffs in the service industry.
WA +1,082 Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
NV +1,082 No comment.
NJ +1,226 No comment.
AL +1,263 Layoffs in the transportation equipment, electrical equipment, wood products, and apparel industries.
WI +1,383 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
OK +1,506 No comment.
CT +1,521 Layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
CO +1,548 No comment.
MA +1,886 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
OR +2,123 Layoffs in the trade, service, public administration, and manufacturing industries.
IL +2,309 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
GA +2,322 Layoffs in the transportation equipment, textile, and carpets/rugs industries.
TN +3,090 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, transportation equipment, rubber/plastics, wood products, and fabricated metals industries.
NY +3,317 Layoffs in the construction, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
VA +3,367 No comment.
FL +3,569 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
AZ +3,594 No comment.
PA +4,584 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
TX +4,702 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
KY +4,992 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
MO +5,820 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
IN +6,501 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
MI +6,611 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
OH +6,658 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
CA +10,882 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current



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