US unemployment claims rose in the week ending January 11, reaching 217,000.
This was an increase of 14,000 from the previous week’s total of 203,000.
The four-week moving average dropped slightly to 212,750, a decrease of 750 from the prior week’s revised figure of 213,500.
Looking for a job? Visit whatjobs.com today
Insured Unemployment Rate Holds Steady
- The seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate remained 1.2% for the week ending January 4.
- The total number of insured unemployed individuals dropped to 1,859,000, a decline of 18,000 from the previous week.
- The four-week moving average for insured unemployment stood at 1,866,750, down by 1,250 from the prior week.
Unadjusted Claims Surge
Unadjusted initial claims under state programs saw a significant jump:
- 351,885 claims were filed for the week ending January 11, an increase of 45,228 (14.7%) from the prior week.
- Seasonal factors had predicted an increase of 7.3%, making the actual rise much sharper than expected.
- By comparison, the same week in 2024 saw 291,330 initial claims.
Meanwhile, the unadjusted insured unemployment rate rose to 1.5% for the week ending January 4, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous week. The total number of insured unemployed in state programs reached 2,280,439, reflecting a 4.3% increase from the previous week.
Continued Claims and Federal Program Data
For the week ending December 28:
- The total continued weeks claimed for unemployment benefits across all programs rose to 2,213,431, an increase of 327,136 from the prior week.
- In comparison, the same week in 2023 recorded 2,130,781 claims.
- Extended Benefits remained inactive in all states.
Federal unemployment claims also saw notable increases:
- Former Federal Employees: 478 initial claims (+138 from the prior week), while continued claims reached 6,376 (+164).
- Newly Discharged Veterans: 309 initial claims (+108), with continued claims rising to 4,422 (+261).
Hiring? Post jobs for free with WhatJobs
States with the Highest Insured Unemployment Rates
For the week ending December 28, the highest insured unemployment rates were:
- 2.9%: New Jersey, Rhode Island
- 2.8%: Minnesota
- 2.5%: Washington
- 2.3%: Massachusetts
- 2.2%: California, Connecticut, Illinois
- 2.1%: Alaska, Montana, Pennsylvania
State-by-State Changes in Initial Claims
For the week ending January 4, these states experienced the largest increases in new jobless claims:
- New York: +22,233
- Georgia: +7,636
- Texas: +5,812
- South Carolina: +2,844
- Oregon: +2,567
Conversely, these states recorded the largest declines:
- Michigan: -7,040
- New Jersey: -4,683
- Massachusetts: -4,201
- Connecticut: -3,749
- Iowa: -3,555
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
Key Takeaways
The early January jobless claims data shows a sharp uptick in unadjusted claims, surpassing seasonal expectations.
While insured unemployment remains stable on a seasonally adjusted basis, regional variations continue to shape the labor market outlook. Monitoring these trends will be crucial in assessing economic conditions moving into 2025.
