Euro area unemployment rate at 10.3%

STAT/12/5. 6 January 2012. The euro area1 (EA17) seasonally-adjusted2 unemployment rate3 was 10.3% in November 2011, unchanged compared with October4. It was 10.0% in November 2010. The EU271 unemployment rate was 9.8% in November 2011, also unchanged compared with October4. It was 9.6% in November 2010.

Eurostat estimates that 23.674 million men and women in the EU27, of whom 16.372 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in November 2011. Compared with October 2011, the number of persons unemployed increased by 55 000 in the EU27 and by 45 000 in the euro area. Compared with November 2010, unemployment rose by 723 000 in the EU27 and by 587 000 in the euro area.

These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.0%), Luxembourg and the Netherlands (both 4.9%), and the highest in Spain (22.9%), Greece (18.8% in September 2011) and Lithuania (15.3% in the third quarter of 2011).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in fourteen Member States and rose in thirteen. The largest falls were observed in Estonia (16.1% to 11.3% between the third quarters of 2010 and 2011), Latvia (18.2% to 14.8% between the third quarters of 2010 and 2011) and Lithuania (18.3% to 15.3% between the third quarters of 2010 and 2011). The highest increases were registered in Greece (13.3% to 18.8% between September 2010 and September 2011), Cyprus (6.0% to 9.1%) and Spain (20.4% to 22.9%).

Between November 2010 and November 2011, the unemployment rate for males increased from 9.8% to 10.0% in the euro area and from 9.5% to 9.7% in the EU27. The female unemployment rate rose from 10.3% to 10.7% in the euro area and from 9.7% to 10.0% in the EU27.

In November 2011, 5.579 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU27, of whom 3.394 million were in the euro area. Compared with November 2010, youth unemployment increased by 335 000 in the EU27 and by 207 000 in the euro area. In November 2011, the youth unemployment rate was 22.3% in the EU27 and 21.7% in the euro area. In November 2010 it was 21.0% and 20.6% respectively. The lowest rates were observed in Germany (8.1%), Austria (8.3%) and the Netherlands (8.6%), and the highest in Spain (49.6%), Greece (46.6% in September 2011) and Slovakia (35.1%).

In November 2011, the unemployment rate was 8.6% in the USA and 4.5% in Japan8.

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The euro area (EA17) consists of Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.

The EU27 includes Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Germany (DE), Estonia (EE), Ireland (IE), Greece (EL), Spain (ES), France (FR), Italy (IT), Cyprus (CY), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Hungary (HU), Malta (MT), the Netherlands (NL), Austria (AT), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovenia (SI), Slovakia (SK), Finland (FI), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Non-seasonally adjusted and trend data can be found in the statistical database on the Eurostat website.

Eurostat produces harmonised unemployment rates for individual EU Member States, the euro area and the EU. These unemployment rates are based on the definition recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The measurement is based on a harmonised source, the European Union Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Based on the ILO definition, Eurostat defines unemployed persons as persons aged 15 to 74 who:

- are without work;

- are available to start work within the next two weeks;

- and have actively sought employment at some time during the previous four weeks.

The unemployment rate is the number of people unemployed as a percentage of the labour force. The labour force is the total number of people employed plus unemployed.

The numbers of unemployed and the monthly unemployment rates are estimates based on results of the LFS which is a continuous household survey carried out in Member States on the basis of agreed definitions. These results are interpolated/extrapolated to monthly data using national survey data and/or national monthly series on registered unemployment. The most recent figures are therefore provisional; results from the Labour Force Survey are available 90 days after the end of the reference period for most Member States.

Monthly unemployment and employment series are calculated first at the level of four categories for each Member State (males and females 15-24 years, males and females 25-74 years). These series are then seasonally adjusted and all the national and European aggregates are calculated.

Member States may publish other rates such as register based unemployment rates, or rates based on national Labour Force Surveys or corresponding surveys. These rates may vary from those published by Eurostat due to a different definition or methodological choices.

Current deviations from the definition of unemployment in the EU Labour Force Survey:

Spain, Italy and United Kingdom: Unemployment is restricted to persons aged 16-74. In Spain and Italy the legal minimum age for working is 16. Employment data used for Italy includes also those above 74.

Compared with the rates published in News Release 176/2011 of 30 November 2011, the October 2011 unemployment rates for the EA17 and for the EU27 remain unchanged. Among Member States, the rate has been revised by between 0.2 to 0.4 percentage points for Ireland, Malta, Slovenia and Finland. The unemployment rate was revised downwards by 1.3 percentage points for Bulgaria. It was revised upwards by 1.0 percentage point for Hungary, by 0.7 percentage points for Belgium and by 0.6 percentage points for Cyprus. The revisions are primarily caused by the inclusion of the most recent EU Labour Force Survey data in the calculation process and updates to the seasonally adjusted series.

The following LFS data are used in the calculations of the monthly unemployment rates published in this News Release:

For Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, Finland and Sweden monthly data up to and including November 2011.

For Greece monthly data up to and including September 2011.

For the United Kingdom monthly data up to and including August-September-October 2011 (3-month rolling average).

For Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, France, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Slovakia quarterly data up to and including Q3 2011.

Italy has implemented a method to produce monthly unemployment data purely based on the LFS. For the moment, these data should be considered provisional.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania: quarterly data for all series.

Cyprus, Romania and Slovenia: quarterly data for youth unemployment.

For Germany, Austria and Finland the trend component is used instead of the more volatile seasonally adjusted data.

Results for Japan including the three prefectures most affected by the earthquake are available again from September 2011. Figures from March 2011 to August 2011 exclude these three prefectures.x

US: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Repor

In the week ending December 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 387,000. The 4-week moving average was 373,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 376,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending December 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 24, was 3,595,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,617,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,601,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,602,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 535,112 in the week ending December 31, an increase of 37,423 from the previous week. There were 578,904 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending December 24, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,764,364, an increase of 150,906 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,415,512.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 17 was 7,223,203, a decrease of 8,311 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending December 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,092 in the week ending December 24, an increase of 215 from the prior week. There were 2,332 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 1,565 from the preceding week.

There were 30,777 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 17, an increase of 273 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,352, a decrease of 883 from the prior week.

States reported 2,932,561 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 17, an increase of 6,426 from the prior week. There were 3,577,663 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending December 17 were in Alaska (6.5), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.0), Idaho (3.8), Montana (3.8), California (3.7), Nevada (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), Illinois (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), and Rhode Island (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 24 were in California (+16,490), Pennsylvania (+6,764), Michigan (+5,632), Kentucky (+5,263), and Indiana (+5,084) while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-1,105), Texas (-876), Louisiana (-696), South Carolina (-685), and Puerto Rico (-676). 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

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WEEK ENDING	Advance Dec. 31	Dec. 24	Change	Dec. 17	Prior Year1

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Initial Claims (SA)	372,000	387,000	-15,000	366,000	418,000
Initial Claims (NSA)	535,112	497,689	+37,423	421,103	578,904
4-Wk Moving Average (SA)	373,250	376,500	-3,250	380,750	418,000

WEEK ENDING	Advance Dec. 24	Dec. 17	Change	Dec. 10	Prior Year1

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Ins. Unemployment (SA)	3,595,000	3,617,000	-22,000	3,567,000	4,127,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA)	3,764,364	3,613,458	+150,906	3,628,110	4,415,512
4-Wk Moving Average (SA)	3,601,750	3,602,750	-1,000	3,637,750	4,131,500

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Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2	2.8%	2.9%	-0.1	2.8%	3.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2	3.0%	2.9%	+0.1	2.9%	3.5%

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INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

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WEEK ENDING	Dec. 24	Dec. 17	Change	Prior Year1

Federal Employees	2,092	1,877	+215	2,230
Newly Discharged Veterans	2,332	3,897	-1,565	1,834

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PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

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WEEK ENDING

Dec. 17

Dec. 10

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State	3,603,539	3,611,966	-8,427	4,103,984
Federal Employees (UCFE)	30,777	30,504	+273	47,113
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)	42,352	43,235	-883	40,568
EUC 20083	2,932,561	2,926,135	+6,426	3,577,663
Extended Benefits4	570,791	571,848	-1,057	958,537
State Additional Benefits 5	4,524	4,738	-214	6,976
STC / Workshare 6	38,659	43,088	-4,429	52,918
TOTAL	7,223,203	7,231,514	-8,311	8,787,759

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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 126,188,733 as denominator.
³ - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
⁴ - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
⁵ - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate,
        and the extent of benefits paid, can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
⁶ - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/17/2011 

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STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 

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State	Change		State Supplied Comment
GA	-1,105		Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

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STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 

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State	Change		State Supplied Comment
CA	+16,490		Layoffs in the service industry.
PA	+6,764		Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
MI	+5,636		Layoffs in the automobile industry.
KY	+5,263		No comment.
IN	+5,084		layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and construction industries.
IL	+4,206		Layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, and construction industries.
OH	+4,084		Layoffs in the transportation, manufacturing, and construction industries.
NJ	+3,838		Layoffs in the educational service industry.
WI	+3,580		No comment.
MO	+3,236		Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries.
IA	+2,610		Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR	+2,192		No comment.
KS	+2,027		No comment.
WA	+2,025		Layoffs in the manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries.
MD	+1,901		No comment.
CT	+1,566		No comment.
TN	+1,212		Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, and construction industries.
NC	+1,040		Layoffs in the construction, textile, electronic, and transportation industries.
MN	+1,021		No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/and  http://www.ows.doleta.gov/
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION. USDL 11-1823-NAT Program Contact: Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008
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