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Vol. I, No. 6 Afternoon Edition

The Fed Gazette

A civic journal of money and credit

Live Federal Reserve rates, FOMC decisions, speeches, and Treasury data, with every figure copied from the agency that published it.

Jobs and the labor market

Initial Jobless Claims: Weekly Unemployment Claims Chart

Initial jobless claims were 197,000 for the week ending Sep 26, 2026, according to the U.S. Employment and Training Administration, via GOVSPENDING.ORG.

Source: U.S. Employment and Training Administration (Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims), via GOVSPENDING.ORG, ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly · Published · Updated

The weekly count of people filing first-time claims for unemployment insurance, with a chart back to 1967, what changed since last week, and a plain explanation. The figures are copied as published.

  • Initial claims 197,000 week ending Sep 26, 2026 Lower than the previous print

Initial Jobless Claims chart

Initial jobless claims over time

Weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance, seasonally adjusted, as published. Each point is a stored weekly print.

180,000190,000200,000210,000220,000230,000240,000Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26180,000190,000200,000210,000220,000230,000240,000Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26
150,000200,000250,000300,000350,00020222023202420252026150,000200,000250,000300,000350,00020222023202420252026
02,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,0002018202020222024202602,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,00020182020202220242026
02,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,00019701975198019851990199520002005201020152020202502,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,000197019801990200020102020
  • Initial claims 197,000 Sep 26, 2026

Source: U.S. Employment and Training Administration (Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims), via GOVSPENDING.ORG, ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly · as of · retrieved

Data
Initial jobless claims over time, the last print of each calendar quarter (a sample of the plotted line)
PeriodInitial claims
week ending Mar 25, 1967247,000
week ending Jun 24, 1967218,000
week ending Sep 30, 1967204,000
week ending Dec 30, 1967216,000
week ending Mar 30, 1968192,000
week ending Jun 29, 1968194,000
week ending Sep 28, 1968189,000
week ending Dec 28, 1968223,000
week ending Mar 29, 1969183,000
week ending Jun 28, 1969203,000
week ending Sep 27, 1969193,000
week ending Dec 27, 1969223,000
week ending Mar 28, 1970276,000
week ending Jun 27, 1970291,000
week ending Sep 26, 1970333,000
week ending Dec 26, 1970321,000
week ending Mar 27, 1971300,000
week ending Jun 26, 1971291,000
week ending Sep 25, 1971308,000
week ending Dec 25, 1971244,000
week ending Mar 25, 1972264,000
week ending Jun 24, 1972286,000
week ending Sep 30, 1972251,000
week ending Dec 30, 1972225,000
week ending Mar 31, 1973222,000
week ending Jun 30, 1973237,000
week ending Sep 29, 1973249,000
week ending Dec 29, 1973300,000
week ending Mar 30, 1974323,000
week ending Jun 29, 1974325,000
week ending Sep 28, 1974366,000
week ending Dec 28, 1974537,000
week ending Mar 29, 1975555,000
week ending Jun 28, 1975459,000
week ending Sep 27, 1975445,000
week ending Dec 27, 1975391,000
week ending Mar 27, 1976366,000
week ending Jun 26, 1976387,000
week ending Sep 25, 1976423,000
week ending Dec 25, 1976333,000
week ending Mar 26, 1977356,000
week ending Jun 25, 1977365,000
week ending Sep 24, 1977380,000
week ending Dec 31, 1977364,000
week ending Mar 25, 1978335,000
week ending Jun 24, 1978330,000
week ending Sep 30, 1978318,000
week ending Dec 30, 1978358,000
week ending Mar 31, 1979360,000
week ending Jun 30, 1979369,000
week ending Sep 29, 1979390,000
week ending Dec 29, 1979428,000
week ending Mar 29, 1980475,000
week ending Jun 28, 1980627,000
week ending Sep 27, 1980463,000
week ending Dec 27, 1980399,000
week ending Mar 28, 1981412,000
week ending Jun 27, 1981444,000
week ending Sep 26, 1981491,000
week ending Dec 26, 1981556,000
week ending Mar 27, 1982574,000
week ending Jun 26, 1982582,000
week ending Sep 25, 1982671,000
week ending Dec 25, 1982489,000
week ending Mar 26, 1983481,000
week ending Jun 25, 1983442,000
week ending Sep 24, 1983416,000
week ending Dec 31, 1983372,000
week ending Mar 31, 1984341,000
week ending Jun 30, 1984360,000
week ending Sep 29, 1984402,000
week ending Dec 29, 1984379,000
week ending Mar 30, 1985386,000
week ending Jun 29, 1985390,000
week ending Sep 28, 1985399,000
week ending Dec 28, 1985390,000
week ending Mar 29, 1986396,000
week ending Jun 28, 1986371,000
week ending Sep 27, 1986389,000
week ending Dec 27, 1986345,000
week ending Mar 28, 1987326,000
week ending Jun 27, 1987326,000
week ending Sep 26, 1987317,000
week ending Dec 26, 1987316,000
week ending Mar 26, 1988304,000
week ending Jun 25, 1988307,000
week ending Sep 24, 1988301,000
week ending Dec 31, 1988304,000
week ending Mar 25, 1989319,000
week ending Jun 24, 1989338,000
week ending Sep 30, 1989347,000
week ending Dec 30, 1989358,000
week ending Mar 31, 1990346,000
week ending Jun 30, 1990364,000
week ending Sep 29, 1990404,000
week ending Dec 29, 1990454,000
week ending Mar 30, 1991499,000
week ending Jun 29, 1991418,000
week ending Sep 28, 1991437,000
week ending Dec 28, 1991441,000
week ending Mar 28, 1992420,000
week ending Jun 27, 1992420,000
week ending Sep 26, 1992409,000
week ending Dec 26, 1992313,000
week ending Mar 27, 1993366,000
week ending Jun 26, 1993340,000
week ending Sep 25, 1993343,000
week ending Dec 25, 1993290,000
week ending Mar 26, 1994322,000
week ending Jun 25, 1994341,000
week ending Sep 24, 1994325,000
week ending Dec 31, 1994319,000
week ending Mar 25, 1995332,000
week ending Jun 24, 1995358,000
week ending Sep 30, 1995355,000
week ending Dec 30, 1995359,000
week ending Mar 30, 1996393,000
week ending Jun 29, 1996337,000
week ending Sep 28, 1996348,000
week ending Dec 28, 1996357,000
week ending Mar 29, 1997325,000
week ending Jun 28, 1997322,000
week ending Sep 27, 1997317,000
week ending Dec 27, 1997303,000
week ending Mar 28, 1998312,000
week ending Jun 27, 1998376,000
week ending Sep 26, 1998294,000
week ending Dec 26, 1998336,000
week ending Mar 27, 1999298,000
week ending Jun 26, 1999291,000
week ending Sep 25, 1999306,000
week ending Dec 25, 1999268,000
week ending Mar 25, 2000272,000
week ending Jun 24, 2000296,000
week ending Sep 30, 2000292,000
week ending Dec 30, 2000353,000
week ending Mar 31, 2001388,000
week ending Jun 30, 2001394,000
week ending Sep 29, 2001517,000
week ending Dec 29, 2001421,000
week ending Mar 30, 2002479,000
week ending Jun 29, 2002386,000
week ending Sep 28, 2002409,000
week ending Dec 28, 2002409,000
week ending Mar 29, 2003436,000
week ending Jun 28, 2003429,000
week ending Sep 27, 2003387,000
week ending Dec 27, 2003349,000
week ending Mar 27, 2004340,000
week ending Jun 26, 2004348,000
week ending Sep 25, 2004351,000
week ending Dec 25, 2004320,000
week ending Mar 26, 2005342,000
week ending Jun 25, 2005311,000
week ending Sep 24, 2005359,000
week ending Dec 31, 2005302,000
week ending Mar 25, 2006295,000
week ending Jun 24, 2006309,000
week ending Sep 30, 2006309,000
week ending Dec 30, 2006341,000
week ending Mar 31, 2007307,000
week ending Jun 30, 2007317,000
week ending Sep 29, 2007317,000
week ending Dec 29, 2007360,000
week ending Mar 29, 2008387,000
week ending Jun 28, 2008392,000
week ending Sep 27, 2008483,000
week ending Dec 27, 2008533,000
week ending Mar 28, 2009665,000
week ending Jun 27, 2009594,000
week ending Sep 26, 2009554,000
week ending Dec 26, 2009468,000
week ending Mar 27, 2010459,000
week ending Jun 26, 2010464,000
week ending Sep 25, 2010459,000
week ending Dec 25, 2010404,000
week ending Mar 26, 2011399,000
week ending Jun 25, 2011421,000
week ending Sep 24, 2011406,000
week ending Dec 31, 2011376,000
week ending Mar 31, 2012358,000
week ending Jun 30, 2012372,000
week ending Sep 29, 2012376,000
week ending Dec 29, 2012362,000
week ending Mar 30, 2013375,000
week ending Jun 29, 2013340,000
week ending Sep 28, 2013319,000
week ending Dec 28, 2013332,000
week ending Mar 29, 2014330,000
week ending Jun 28, 2014308,000
week ending Sep 27, 2014290,000
week ending Dec 27, 2014285,000
week ending Mar 28, 2015269,000
week ending Jun 27, 2015275,000
week ending Sep 26, 2015272,000
week ending Dec 26, 2015276,000
week ending Mar 26, 2016271,000
week ending Jun 25, 2016262,000
week ending Sep 24, 2016247,000
week ending Dec 31, 2016244,000
week ending Mar 25, 2017236,000
week ending Jun 24, 2017247,000
week ending Sep 30, 2017260,000
week ending Dec 30, 2017248,000
week ending Mar 31, 2018232,000
week ending Jun 30, 2018228,000
week ending Sep 29, 2018210,000
week ending Dec 29, 2018238,000
week ending Mar 30, 2019203,000
week ending Jun 29, 2019226,000
week ending Sep 28, 2019215,000
week ending Dec 28, 2019231,000
week ending Mar 28, 20205,946,000
week ending Jun 27, 20201,446,000
week ending Sep 26, 2020795,000
week ending Dec 26, 2020773,000
week ending Mar 27, 2021658,000
week ending Jun 26, 2021368,000
week ending Sep 25, 2021375,000
week ending Dec 25, 2021217,000
week ending Mar 26, 2022214,000
week ending Jun 25, 2022212,000
week ending Sep 24, 2022190,000
week ending Dec 31, 2022205,000
week ending Mar 25, 2023234,000
week ending Jun 24, 2023236,000
week ending Sep 30, 2023216,000
week ending Dec 30, 2023200,000
week ending Mar 30, 2024223,000
week ending Jun 29, 2024238,000
week ending Sep 28, 2024227,000
week ending Dec 28, 2024212,000
week ending Mar 29, 2025220,000
week ending Jun 28, 2025231,000
week ending Sep 27, 2025225,000
week ending Dec 27, 2025203,000
week ending Mar 28, 2026203,000
week ending Jun 27, 2026217,000
week ending Sep 26, 2026197,000
Cite this

Cite the agency first. This paper is the place you read the figure, as of Sep 26, 2026.

  • APA U.S. Employment and Training Administration (Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. (2026, September 26). ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly [Data set]. https://govspending.org/series/ICSA/ Retrieved October 6, 2026, via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobless-claims/#chart-jobless-claims-0
  • MLA U.S. Employment and Training Administration (Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. “ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly.” ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly, data as of 26 Sept. 2026, https://govspending.org/series/ICSA/. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026 via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobless-claims/#chart-jobless-claims-0.
  • Chicago U.S. Employment and Training Administration (Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. “ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly.” Data as of September 26, 2026. https://govspending.org/series/ICSA/. Retrieved October 6, 2026 via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobless-claims/#chart-jobless-claims-0.

As of week ending Sep 26, 2026 · U.S. Employment and Training Administration (Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims), via GOVSPENDING.ORG · ICSA, Initial claims for unemployment insurance, weekly · Number · original series ICSA on FRED · Retrieved

Initial jobless claims: what changed since the last print

The latest initial jobless claims print is 197,000 for week ending Sep 26, 2026, lower than the print before it, 198,000 for week ending Sep 19, 2026. About a year earlier, for week ending Sep 20, 2025, it was 219,000, and the latest print is lower than that.

This paper says only whether the latest stored print is higher than, lower than, or the same as an earlier stored print, and prints both. It does not compute a difference or a percent.

PeriodInitial claims
week ending Sep 26, 2026197,000
week ending Sep 19, 2026198,000
week ending Sep 12, 2026198,000
week ending Sep 5, 2026207,000
week ending Aug 29, 2026207,000
week ending Aug 22, 2026204,000
week ending Aug 15, 2026207,000
week ending Aug 8, 2026212,000
week ending Aug 1, 2026200,000
week ending Jul 25, 2026198,000
week ending Jul 18, 2026189,000
week ending Jul 11, 2026209,000

What the initial jobless claims is, in plain English

Initial claims count the people who file a first claim for state unemployment insurance in a week. It is one of the fastest labor market readings, because it arrives every week and not once a month.

A rise in claims can mean more layoffs, and a fall can mean fewer. One week is noisy, so readers often look at several weeks together. This paper prints each weekly figure as published and does not average or smooth it.

The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration publishes the series in its weekly claims report.

Initial claim
A first-time filing for unemployment insurance, not a continuing claim.
Seasonally adjusted
Smoothed for regular seasonal patterns, which is how this series is published.
Week ending
The Saturday that closes the reporting week.

Initial jobless claims questions answered

What is the latest initial jobless claims?

Initial jobless claims were 197,000 for the week ending Sep 26, 2026, according to the U.S. Employment and Training Administration, via GOVSPENDING.ORG.

What are initial jobless claims?

They are the number of people who filed a first claim for state unemployment insurance in a week.

How often are jobless claims released?

Weekly, usually on Thursday, by the Department of Labor. The week for the latest print is shown beside the figure.

Do jobless claims count everyone who is out of work?

No. They count only people who file for unemployment insurance. The unemployment rate in the jobs report is a separate survey.