Weekly Unemployment Claims Fall to Five-Year Low?
Applications for jobless benefits fell by 5,000 for the week ending January19, bringing the total to 330,000, down from last week’s revised figure of 335,000, the Labor Department announced on Thursday.
That’s lowest unemployment claims print since Jan. 2008.
The four-week moving average, a “less volatile” figure, decreased by 8,250, bringing the total to 351,750, up from last week’s revised average of 360,000.
“The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending January 12, unchanged from the prior week’s unrevised rate,” the report reads.
“The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 12 was 3,157,000, a decrease of 71,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 3,228,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,197,500, a decrease of 12,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 3,209,750,” the report adds.
The states with the largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 12 were Texas (+12,786), California (+10,232), Florida (+7,314), Indiana (+4,266), and New Jersey (+3,570).
Meanwhile, New York (-27,487), Georgia (-7,520), North Carolina (-5,541), Alabama (-4,245), and Wisconsin (-3,183) posted the biggest decreases in initial claims.
However, here’s something worth noting:
“The decline may reflect the government’s difficulty adjusting its numbers to account for layoffs after the holiday shopping season,” the Associated Press notes.
“Layoffs spike in the second week of January and then plummet. The department seeks to adjust for those trends, but the figures can still be volatile,” the report adds.
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I Aint PC
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 4:41pmThere were less claims because the recipients were at the inauguration, or were watching it on their big screen TVs. They could not go sign up when their messiah was getting sworn in.
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Whatmeworry-never
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 12:12pmThis is a false stat. People are falling off the roles so they are now relabled as “willfulyy unemployed” happened to my wife, people like her are no longer counted. They should take the working age folks who pay taxes and minus out the working age folks who do not pay taxes and get a truer picture. Walk around talk to people you will see true unemployement is near 20% or so but they can’t tell us that because we will freak out. Do some stat searches folks it truly is sad the amount of folks lost right now.
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desertspeaks
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 3:09pmare they still not counting all the people who have fallen off of unemployment and have stopped looking for work!?!?!
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LukeAppling
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 11:34amPhony numbers from a phony government. How many have dropped out and isn’t the number really 14.4% of the workforce ? When a person lies to us over and over and is not held accountable soon we have no basis to even listen to him….Obama I stopped listening.
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HKS
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 10:31amI guess we all knew it would happen eventually, we would run out of jobs to loose.
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cknapp
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 10:03amI have the real question that needs to be answered which I have asked Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, and the IRS by E-mail…only the IRS answered with some hard to figure out links and statistics so I am not able to get an answer, but a real investigative team might be able to get it.
My theory is that today there are more 18-65 year olds who are runnning out of unemployment benefits are “gaming” the system and moving to the disability roles than in the past, thus skewing the unemployment and new jobs claims reports. I suspect the the percent of 18-65 year olds who apply for disability should be somewhat constant year to year, decade to decade as only a certain number become legitimately disabled each year due to disease, car accidents, work related injuries etc.,…here is the question…
What percent of the 18-65 year old population has applied for disablity benefits for the years 2008-2011, 1998-2001, and 1988-1991?
Craig Knapp
age 51
anonymous posting is for wimps
craig dit knapp1 it yahee dit cam
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hauschild
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 10:01amA drop of “5000″ within a country of “330,000,000″: You do the math.
Perspective.
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GMAN455
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:56amBrawl Erupts At East St. Louis Obama Bucks Office http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/01/24/brawl-erupts-at-east-st-louis-food-stamp-office/
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hauschild
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 10:06amYou’ve seen one urban brawl, you’ve seen ‘em all.
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TheTram
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:43amArticle should read 330,000 unemployment benefits expire. Seeing as how they only count unemployment by those on it. It last what, 2 years?
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anthonyebaker
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:14amWhat difference does it make?
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oldguy49
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:22amdid you get your obama phone too
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Supah_Patriot
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:34amYou mean the Reagan phone? Pretty sure he started it. Your messiah.
Just_Us2
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 12:16pmSupah_Patriot – Cell phone did not become prevalent until the 1990′s. Your ignorance is quite astounding. Do you not know how to use Google? You must have been educated in an inner city government school….i.e. low information voter.
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Supah_Patriot
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:08amConservatives on this site want the government to stay out of things and want people to stop looking to the government to solve their problems.
Yet, they cry to the government for jobs and blame the government because they can’t get one. Really? Stop blaming the government, get off your **** and do it yourself.
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Zipit
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:18amDear dumbazz! We’re not the ones that are unemployed!!!!!
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:19amWho’s crying to the government to create jobs? The only jobs government can create are government jobs and that’s bad for liberty and freedom from government. Government can’t create wealth it can only destroy wealth and the sooner we get government off the backs of businesses in the private sector the sooner they’ll start creating jobs.
Here’s a good quote for you. If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.
Milton Friedman
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woodyee
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:23amThey don’t cry for to the government for jobs – in fact, the call to “want the government to stay out of things”, as you put it, IS about creating jobs; making the gobblement get the FO of the way and let the private sector do what it has historically done best – BOOM to the economy, vs what gobblement intervention has historically done best – BUST good economies.
No more freebies for Libs – you owe me my minimum fee of $75.00. Conservatives pay $5.00 and their I.O.U.’s are accepted as payment in full.
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Just_Us2
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 12:36pmSupah_Patriot – What a profoundly ignorant statement. Be it a private sector or public sector job, the government obstructs and interferes with the job process through over regulation, i.e. red tape. Government has gone so far as to shut down lemon-aid stands where children were just trying to earn a few bucks. The people on this site would be happy for the government to back off on its intrusive practices which impede job growth. It would also be nice to have a government with intellectual honesty, something you seem quite unfamiliar with. The data set used to configure unemployment statistics is a fraction of what it was four years ago, however, this point is concealed by the reports, or at least vastly understated compared to other points gleaned from the numbers. So your characterization of what the complaints are on this site are broad sweeping generalizations of two complaints that are diametrically opposed, but fall woefully short of any type of accuracy. This demonstrates two things, first you obviously do not read and comprehend well and two your arguments lack clarity and accuracy. Your posts speak more of who you are than they do on the subject you struggle to comment on. Some trolls here have at least a grain of truth in their arguments, yours lacks even that. I would recommend you cut your teeth over at the Huff Po, gain some knowledge and experience and come back when you’re smarter.
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:07amSo that the record of history is absolutely crystal clear. That there is no alternative way, so far discovered, of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by a free enterprise system.
Milton Friedman
Sadly for us the Marxist regime currently in power is doing everything in it’s power to crush the private sector and this feel good story is BS and everybody knows it. Depression part two coming right up courtesy of a narcissistic Marxist heathen.
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Supah_Patriot
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:21amLies.
progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:31amThat’s quite a come back there idiot,go back to huffpo you candy@ss.
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Supah_Patriot
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:49ammmm, candy@ass.
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brntout
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:56am@ saipan? Do you even have a job? Seems you have an awful lot of time on your hands.Mom saays you need to start the car and let it warm up because there’s two inches of snow on it.
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Dcjones
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:05amBen, we’ve hit pre-crisis levels. All is well again, go ahead and power down your printers….I dare you.
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woodyee
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:05amSad, but probably the result of too many young folk getting comfortable living off of other people’s money…
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starman70
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:03amUnfortunately, the figure doesn’t take into account the fact that companies are hiring lots ot PART TIME workers. Many companies have cut work hours of employees from 40 hour weeks to only 29 hours per week so they will not be classed as “Full time” thereby avoiding the $3000 “Tax” for Obamacare. They must make up the shortfall with more part time workers to fill out the workday.
This is typical Democrat fudging of the numbers. A well planned program to make the unemployment numbers go down and make the administration look good. People with families to support, in the face of the current rate of inflation cannot survive in a part time environment. Do the politicians care? NAAAAH!! All they want to do is brag about the “Recovery” we are having. BULLS***!!! That’s all it is.
Get the government out of healthcare and American businesses and let true entrepreneurs loose to create businesses and products. Then and only then will we have a real recovery!!!!
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voteemout
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:59amOf course with a decreasing number of working people out there you will naturally have lower jobless claims. However percentages of jobless claims to number is workers is more than likely the same or higher than it was 4 years ago.
However our low information media and voter would never be able to figure this out
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FeliciaJewel
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:53amIf it is so great why do I feel so bad? :(
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DoseofReality
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:15amBecasue you frequent sites like this where all you hear is negativity, anger, distrust and paranoia. It effects you after years of it…my advice is take a break, enjoy your friends and family, realize things are actually pretty good and be happy.
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:28amDOSE This site is so terrible yet you are here? Let me guess you’re here to tell us everything’s just fine huh? Save it for the uneducated Obama worshipers they’ll believe anything. I could go through the list of feces Barry has dumped on us but you’re a true believer so I’d be wasting my time.
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mewnani
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 10:15amI’d love to be happy like you say I should be, but we’ve been unemployed for over half a year for the second year in a row and we’re facing bankruptcy, and it’s all Obummer’s fault due to his war on coal. If I were in natural gas I’d be wary, cause you all are probably next.
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DoseofReality
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 12:16pmProgressiveslayer – I didnt vote for Obama so there goes your theory. yeah, things for me are great actually….me and my wife both have jobs as well as side business and are heading for a two week carribean vacation in february. Its called hard work….you should try it sometime and stop complaining….
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 2:02pmDOSE Maybe you shouldn’t make assumptions about me either because I’ve worked hard all my life. I’ll complain all I want about this government and if you don’t like it don’t read what I write,just ignore me,it’s called common sense you should try it some time.
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biohazard23
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:53amThat’s what happens when people simply give up and walk away. It ain’t rocket surgery….
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momrules
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:11amRocket surgery……….you gave me a reason to chuckle this morning. Thanks.
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biohazard23
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:31amGlad to help. :) Have a great, blessed day, MomRules.
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barber2
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:48amTo quote a well-respected ( by clueless Democrats ) leader: ” What difference does it make now ?”
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BODYBAG
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:47amMore gobbldigook to obfuscate the facts —— NO GROWTH – NO JOBS – More people just simply giving up in hopelessness
Really? A Marxist regime is overthrowing this country and no one is going to stand up for her?
Where’s Mitt Romney? Where are all those people who were on that stage last year fiercely trying to convince the country they were the only true conservative? Silent? Why?
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:46amWhen the hellish law of Obama care kicks in job loss will be in the millions,health care premiums are already rising and when it’s fully implemented our health care will be as good as Cuba’s. This is just a stop on the way to single payer,when Barry get’s us to government health care for all we’re finished we’ll all have the same rotten government health care and exploding cost.
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brntout
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 10:26amNot to mention the agonizing pain at the pumps that’s coming.
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barber2
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:46amYes. ” The decline may reflect the government’s difficulty …” as well as, the American peoples’ difficulty believing ANYTHING this Obama government has to say about anything !
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Gonzo
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:45amHappy days are here again. (eye roll)
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dublinthewagons
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:58amGuess we can hand out the lolly pops, cake & icecream now. Lmao
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DougHuffman
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:44amAnd what is the corresponding change in the number dropping out of the employment market? We do not need more cheerleaders for FedGov lies.
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:54amThat would require an investigative journalist to reveal that number,unfortunately that species is extinct. We do however have ‘reporters’ to feed us the BS lies of this Marxist POS regime.
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Zipit
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:44amIt will as usual, be revised up next week! But the explanation is simple! We are running out of people who have GIVEN UP, on looking for jobs that DON’t exist!!!!!!!!
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 8:57amIt’s the managed decline and Barry will be ecstatic when his depression starts,he built that.
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on January 24, 2013 at 9:06amAbsolutely, Obama admin refusing to tell the honest truth of how many are underemployed and how many have truly given up.
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