The latest
Unemployment Insurance (UI) Weekly Claims Report is now available from the US Department of Labor. The 4-week moving average of nationwide initial claims has decreased from the revised number of 381,750 last week to 374,000 this week. The report dated 11 January 2012 reflects our unemployment numbers for week-ending 7 January 2012. During this week, 3,265 initial claims were filed in Utah compared to 4,053 the prior week.
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The above chart tracks weeks claimed for regular Utah UI claims. It is not a measure of new claims opened, but rather weekly benefits claimed on existing claims. Weeks are numbered along the bottom. It does not include extended benefit claims. Two observations are suggested. One is that UI claims are affected by the seasons, and made more frequently in the winter (ends) than during the summer (middle). The other is that although we are at a much higher level of unemployment claims being made than 2006-2007, we are moving in the right direction since the crest of 2009.
