News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-569-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 October 23, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Oct. 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 390,000. The 4-week moving average was 392,250, unchanged from the previous week's revised average of 392,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending Oct. 11, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Oct. 11 was 3,542,000, a decrease of 84,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,626,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,606,750, a decrease of 14,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,621,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 324,128 in the week ending Oct. 18, a decrease of 44,883 from the previous week. There were 349,927 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending Oct. 11, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,922,554, a decrease of 21,936 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,967,513.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Oct. 4.

53 states reported that 842,594 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Oct. 4.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,215 in the week ending Oct. 11, an increase of 509 from the prior week. There were 2,232 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 171 from the preceding week.

There were 20,378 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Oct. 4, an increase of 1,895 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,920, an increase of 271 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Oct. 4 were in Puerto Rico (5.1 percent), Alaska (3.9), Oregon (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.2), Washington (3.2), California (3.1), New Jersey (2.9), Massachusetts (2.8), Arkansas (2.7), Connecticut (2.7), and Michigan (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Oct. 11 were in Missouri (+4,028), Texas (+2,376), Pennsylvania (+2,366), Florida (+2,174), and New York (+1,977), while the largest decreases were in Arkansas (-2,099), Massachusetts (-711), Colorado (-464), Georgia (-315), and Illinois (-290).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 18  Oct. 11 Change Oct. 4  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 386,000 390,000 -4,000 388,000 416,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 324,128 369,011 -44,883 337,910 349,927
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 392,250 392,250 0 395,000 415,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Oct. 11 Oct. 4  Change Sept. 27 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,542,000 3,626,000 -84,000 3,613,000 3,575,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,922,554 2,944,490 -21,936 2,958,923 2,967,513
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,606,750 3,621,000 -14,250 3,626,500 3,623,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.9% -0.1 2.9% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 11
Oct. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 2,215 1,706 +509 1,894
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,232 2,061 +171 1,721
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Oct. 4
Sept. 27
Change
Year
Federal Employees 20,378 18,483 +1,895 19,267
Newly Discharged Veterans 20,920 20,649 +271 17,411
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 34,103 34,026 +77 12,814
Federal (TEUC) 842,594 820,505 +22,089 851,857
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 126,428,924 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/11/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
AR -2,099 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
IA +1,006 No comment.
LA +1,069 No comment.
IN +1,127 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
KS +1,385 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WA +1,409 No comment.
KY +1,441 Layoffs in the public administration and manufacturing industries.
NC +1,588 Layoffs in the food, apparel, electronic equipment, and rubber/plastics industries.
TN +1,674 Layoffs in the trade, service, furniture, transportation, and rubber/plastics industries.
MN +1,768 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI +1,833 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
NY +1,977 No comment.
FL +2,174 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
PA +2,366 Layoffs in the food, paper, and service industries.
TX +2,376 Layoffs in the trade, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
MO +4,028 Layoffs in the trade industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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