Initial claims again rose substantially in California during the week of February 13. Overall claims rose as well in the US as a whole due to the California numbers and an upsurge in PUA claims in Ohio.
With the previous week’s numbers showing a somewhat higher upward revision than typical, total initial claims processed for the week of January 30 were once again up for California while easing slightly for the rest of the US. In both cases, total claims remain well above historic levels, but at a generally downward trend for California and largely stabilizing in the nation as a whole. While still high, these numbers suggest the economic situation is at least not getting worse, both from the number of layoffs and due to fewer initial claims in California as the state finally implements anti-fraud measures.
With the previous week’s numbers showing a somewhat higher upward revision than typical, total initial claims processed for the week of January 30 were once again up for California while easing slightly for the rest of the US. In both cases, total claims remain well above historic levels, but at a generally downward trend for California and largely stabilizing in the nation as a whole. While still high, these numbers suggest the economic situation is at least not getting worse, both from the number of layoffs and due to fewer initial claims in California as the state finally implements anti-fraud measures.
Total initial claims processed for the week of January 23 were down substantially in the state while easing at a lower rate in the rest of the US.
Total initial claims processed for the week of January 9 were up substantially in the state while easing in the rest of the US.
In California, initial claims in the regular program were down sharply 32.1% over the prior week, while the reauthorized PUA claims jumped just under 230%. In the national totals, regular claims were down 13.6%, while PUA claims rose 48.7% as California accounted for over half of the new claims. Combined, total claims were up 8.6% in California and eased 0.9% in the US.
Following passage of the second federal COVID assistance bill and stay-at-home orders in California, initial claims for the week of January 9 were up sharply in both the state and the rest of the US.
Initial claims for the week of January 2 were down both in California and the rest of the US.
In California, initial claims in the regular program were down 5.2% over the prior week, while initial PUA claims were off more sharply by 26.4%. In the national totals, regular claims were up 9.2%, but were offset by a much deeper drop in PUA claims by 48.0%. PUA claims, however, likely were affected by their uncertain extension until final action on the COVID-relief bill at the end of December. Combined, total claims were down 9.0% in California and 6.2% in the US.
Initial claims for the week of December 26 were largely unchanged in California, while dropping sharply in the rest of the US.
In California, initial claims in the regular program were up 5.6% over the prior week, with those gains largely offset by a 22.1% drop in initial PUA claims. In the national totals, regular claims were down 3.6% and PUA claims down 22.3%. Combined, total claims were down only 0.7% in California and 9.5% in the US.
Initial claims for the week of December 19 declined from the prior week’s rise, but returned to the generally upward trend experienced since the first week of November.
In California, initial claims in the regular program were down 23.5% over the prior week, contributing heavily to the 7.7% drop for the US overall. PUA claims were largely unchanged with a dip of 2.4% in the state, but showed a stronger drop of 12.5% for the US. Combined, total claims were down 19.4% in California and 9.3% in the US.
Initial claims continued to climb but more sharply during the week of December 5, as all but 6 counties were placed by the state under the most restrictive Tier 1 status—now all but 4 smaller mountain counties in the most recent state orders for December 8. The recent wave of “stay at home” orders is now shutting many businesses especially small businesses who had been able to partially reopen during this most critical cash flow part of their revenue year. Given the timing on the surveys used to estimate the jobs and employment numbers, the effects of this current round will not likely become apparent until the release of the December numbers scheduled for later in January.
Reversing the upward trend of the prior two weeks, Initial claims for the week of November 28 produced a significant drop both in California and the nation as a whole. In California, initial claims in the regular program were down 22.8% and PUA claims down by 6.1%. Nationally, regular program claims (not seasonally adjusted) dropped 14.6%, and PUA claims were down 9.5%. Combined, total initial claims dropped 19.9% in the state and 13.2% in the US.
Initial claims for the week of November 21 saw a continued rise, with total claims increasing about the same in California and in the national numbers. In California, initial claims in the regular program were up 5.8% and PUA claims up 9.5%. Nationally, regular program claims were up more strongly at 10.5% but were offset somewhat by a 2.5% decline in PUA claims. Combined, total initial claims rose 6.4% in the state and 6.6% in the US.
Initial claims for the week of November 14 were up, with total claims rising about the same in California and the US as a whole. Total initial claims in California rose 4.4% with initial claims in the regular program largely unchanged at a rise of only 0.4% but PUA claims up 26.3%. Nationally, regular program claims were up 2.5% and PUA claims up 8.1%. Combined, total initial claims rose 4.4% in the state and 4.1% in the US.
Initial claims for the week of November 7 remained largely steady in California but showed a slight easing on the national level. Total initial claims in California were essentially unchanged, with a slight drop in initial PUA claims offset by an uptick in the claims under the regular program. Nationally, both regular program and PUA claims eased to their lowest levels since the crisis began in March. Combined, total initial claims eased 7.7% on the national level, while notching up 0.3% in the state.
Initial claims were largely stable both in California and the rest of the country in the week of October 31. Initial claims (not seasonally adjusted) in the regular program were up only 0.2% in the state, while down 0.9% for the country as a whole. Initial claims under PUA were up 19.7% for California, but this bump contributed to a rise of only 1.1% for the nation.