News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-1741-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 : November 26, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Nov. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 529,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 543,000. The 4-week moving average was 518,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised average of 507,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending Nov. 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 15 was 3,962,000, a decrease of 54,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,016,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,929,000, an increase of 60,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,868,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 606,877 in the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 93,877 from the previous week. There were 324,047 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending Nov. 15, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,748,005, an increase of 226,034 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.7 percent and the volume was 2,217,292.

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Extended benefits were available in North Carolina and Rhode Island during the week ending Nov. 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,898 in the week ending Nov. 15, an increase of 400 from the prior week. There were 1,585 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 191 from the preceding week.

There were 14,827 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 8, an increase of 538 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,317, a decrease of 329 from the prior week.

States reported 708,083 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Nov. 8, a decrease of 4,976 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 8 were in Puerto Rico (5.0 percent), Oregon (4.2), Michigan (3.8), Nevada (3.8), South Carolina (3.6), New Jersey (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.5), Alaska (3.4), Arkansas (3.4), and California (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 15 were in Illinois (+5,285), Michigan (+2,697), Wisconsin (+1,551), Indiana (+1,549), and Missouri (+1,487), while the largest decreases were in California (-9,436), Tennessee (-4,566), North Carolina (-4,512), New Jersey (-3,729), and Florida (-2,686).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 22 Nov. 15 Change Nov. 8 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 529,000 543,000 -14,000 516,000 349,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 606,877 513,000 +93,877 539,787 324,047
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 518,000 507,000 +11,000 491,000 336,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Nov. 15 Nov. 8 Change Nov. 1 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,962,000 4,016,000 -54,000 3,906,000 2,659,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,748,005 3,521,971 +226,034 3,460,633 2,217,292
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,929,000 3,868,750 +60,250 3,796,500 2,604,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 2.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
2.8% 2.6% +0.2 2.6% 1.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 15
Nov. 8
Change
Year

Federal Employees 1,898 1,498 +400 1,749
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,585 1,776 -191 1,498

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Nov. 8
Nov. 1
Change
Year

Federal Employees 14,827 14,289 +538 15,347
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,317 23,646 -329 23,045
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 106 93 +13 0
EUC 2008 708,083 713,059 -4,976 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 11/15/2008 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -9,436 No comment.
TN -4,566 Fewer layoffs in the rubber/plastics, fabricated metals, industrial machinery, furniture, and electrical equipment industries.
NC -4,512 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals and furniture industries.
NJ -3,729 No comment.
FL -2,686 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA -2,630 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, transportation equipment, industrial machinery, and fabricated metals industries.
VA -2,361 No comment.
SC -1,875 Fewer layoffs in the textile and industrial machinery industries.
AZ -1,819 No comment.
WA -1,176 Fewer layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
KS -1,148 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industries.
MA -1,077 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO +1,487 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
IN +1,549 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,551 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
MI +2,697 Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
IL +5,285 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current



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