TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) recently released updated unemployment insurance (UI) data for the week ending October 18, 2025, showing a modest decline in claims despite the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits totaled 8,357, a 6.8 percent decrease from the previous week’s total of 8,968, according to the department. For the same week last year, the total was 8,324.
Continued claims — representing weeks of benefits claimed by individuals already approved for UI — totaled 89,201, down 1.5 percent from the previous week and 0.4 percent from the comparable week in 2024.
“Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Labor is currently unable to release its regular economic data,” NJDOL said in a statement. “In response, NJDOL is utilizing internal administrative data to maintain continuity in public reporting to assist with timely labor market insights. This release represents the Department’s commitment to transparency and informed decision-making.”
The data does not include claims from federal employees impacted by furloughs. Since the shutdown began on October 1, 2025, the department has received more than 850 claims from federal workers and an additional 350 claims from non-federal workers affected by related disruptions.
Federal employees seeking unemployment information are encouraged to visit MyUnemployment.nj.gov/federal.
For career assistance and job resources, residents can access New Jersey’s digital career portal at MyCareer.nj.gov.
