News Release |
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U.S. Department of Labor Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. | ||
News Release |
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U.S. Department of Labor Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. | ||
| EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION | USDL 08-1873-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), WEDNESDAY |
| Media Contact : | December 31, 2008 |
| (202) 693-4676 | |
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial
claims was 492,000, a decrease of 94,000 from the previous week's unrevised
figure of 586,000. The 4-week moving average was 552,250, a decrease of 5,750
from the previous week's unrevised average of 558,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Dec. 20, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.3 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 20 was 4,506,000, an increase of 140,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,366,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,422,500, an increase of 103,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,318,750.
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 718,468 in the week ending Dec. 27, an increase of 1,892 from the previous week. There were 507,908 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent during the
week ending Dec. 20, unchanged from the prior week.
The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs
totaled 4,568,685, a decrease of 19,701 from the preceding week. A year earlier,
the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,812,156.
Extended benefits were available in North Carolina, Oregon, and Rhode Island during the week ending Dec. 13.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,610 in the week ending Dec. 20, a decrease of 589 from the prior week. There were 1,974 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 82 from the preceding week.
There were 18,787 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 13, an increase of 327 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,547, an increase of 803 from the prior week.
States reported 1,561,311 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Dec. 13, an increase of 84,941 from the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 13 were in Michigan (5.5 percent), Oregon (5.3), Puerto Rico (5.1), Idaho (4.9), Nevada (4.8), Pennsylvania (4.8), Alaska (4.7), Wisconsin (4.5), California (4.2), New Jersey (4.2), Rhode Island (4.2), and South Carolina (4.2).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 20 were in California (+20,866), Kentucky (+13,337), Michigan (+8,160), Missouri (+7,091), and Indiana (+6,795), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-4,016), Georgia (-3,525), New Jersey (-1,866), Tennessee (-1,649), and Illinois (-1,194).
| Advance | Prior1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ENDING | Dec. 27 | Dec. 20 | Change | Dec. 13 | Year |
| Initial Claims (SA) | 492,000 | 586,000 | -94,000 | 556,000 | 339,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Claims (NSA) | 718,468 | 716,576 | +1,892 | 629,867 | 507,908 |
| 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 552,250 | 558,000 | -5,750 | 544,250 | 344,500 |
| Advance | Prior1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ENDING | Dec. 20 | Dec. 13 | Change | Dec. 6 | Year |
| Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 4,506,000 | 4,366,000 | +140,000 | 4,387,000 | 2,736,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 4,568,685 | 4,588,386 | -19,701 | 4,378,273 | 2,812,156 |
| 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 4,422,500 | 4,318,750 | +103,750 | 4,226,750 | 2,682,000 |
| Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 3.4% | 3.3% | +0.1 | 3.3% | 2.1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ins. Unemployment Rate
(NSA)2 |
3.4% | 3.4% | 0.0 | 3.3% | 2.1% |
|
Prior1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ENDING |
Dec. 20 |
Dec. 13 |
Change |
Year |
| Federal Employees | 1,610 | 2,199 | -589 | 1,780 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly Discharged Veterans | 1,974 | 2,056 | -82 | 1,503 |
|
Prior1 | ||||
| WEEK ENDING |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 6 |
Change |
Year |
| Federal Employees | 18,787 | 18,460 | +327 | 16,817 |
| Newly Discharged Veterans | 25,547 | 24,744 | +803 | 24,113 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | 4,000 | 4,000 | 0 | 3,000 |
| Extended Benefits | 1,690 | 3,361 | -1,671 | 0 |
| EUC 2008 | 1,561,311 | 1,476,370 | +84,941 | 0 |
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/20/2008
| State | Change | State Supplied Comment | |
| MA | -4,016 | No comment. | |
| GA | -3,525 | Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. | |
| NJ | -1,866 | Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, and warehousing industries. | |
| TN | -1,649 | Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries. | |
| IL | -1,194 | Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries. | |
| CT | -1,171 | No comment. | |
| SC | -1,139 | No comment. | |
| ME | -1,002 | Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
| State | Change | State Supplied Comment | |
| MN | +1,011 | No comment. | |
| MT | +1,283 | No comment. | |
| FL | +2,057 | Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. | |
| LA | +2,145 | Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. | |
| AL | +2,842 | Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. | |
| TX | +2,939 | Layoffs in the construction, transportation, and manufacturing industries. | |
| AR | +3,153 | No comment. | |
| KS | +3,423 | No comment. | |
| IA | +3,704 | Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| VA | +4,012 | No comment. | |
| OH | +4,323 | Layoffs in the automobile industry. | |
| WA | +5,208 | Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. | |
| OR | +5,566 | Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| IN | +6,795 | Layoffs in the automobile, construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| MO | +7,091 | Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries. | |
| MI | +8,160 | Layoffs in the automobile industry. | |
| KY | +13,337 | Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries. | |
| CA | +20,866 | Layoffs in the trade nd service industries. |
This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon
request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.
News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet
at: http://www.dol.gov/ and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/