UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 570,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 580,000. The 4-week moving average was 566,250, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 571,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 15, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 15 was 6,133,000, a decrease of 119,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,252,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,241,750, a decrease of 27,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,268,750.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.583 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 453,936 in the week ending Aug. 22, a decrease of 4,049 from the previous week. There were 345,127 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.3 percent during the week ending Aug. 15, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,673,467, a decrease of 135,105 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,175,006.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Aug. 8.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,377 in the week ending Aug. 15, a decrease of 262 from the prior week. There were 2,054 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 198 from the preceding week.
There were 19,783 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 8, a decrease of 794 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,541, an increase of 216 from the prior week.
States reported 2,916,148 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 8, an increase of 38,392 from the prior week. There were 1,081,755 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 8 were in Puerto Rico (7.3 percent), Oregon (6.1), Pennsylvania (6.0), Michigan (5.9), Nevada (5.8), Wisconsin (5.5), California (5.4), Connecticut (5.4), New Jersey (5.2), North Carolina (5.0), and South Carolina (5.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 15 were in Michigan (+4,068), Pennsylvania (+1,193), Florida (+1,148), Puerto Rico (+735), and Missouri (+649), while the largest decreases were in California (-6,286), Tennessee (-2,999), Texas (-2,557), Wisconsin (-2,075), and Ohio (-1,918).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 22 Aug. 15 Change Aug. 8 Year Initial Claims (SA) 570,000 580,000 -10,000 561,000 433,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 453,936 457,985 -4,049 482,590 345,127 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 566,250 571,000 -4,750 565,750 440,250 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 15 Aug. 8 Change Aug. 1 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,133,000 6,252,000 -119,000 6,239,000 3,451,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 5,673,467 5,808,572 -135,105 5,896,062 3,175,006 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,241,750 6,268,750 -27,000 6,268,500 3,399,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.6% 4.7% -0.1 4.7% 2.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.3% 4.4% -0.1 4.4% 2.4% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 15 Aug. 8 Change Year Federal Employees 1,377 1,639 -262 1,065 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,054 2,252 -198 1,702 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 8 Aug. 1 Change Year Federal Employees 19,783 20,577 -794 13,524 Newly Discharged Veterans 30,541 30,325 +216 21,363 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 3,000 Extended Benefits 464,894 400,759 +64,135 1,671 EUC 20083 2,916,148 2,877,756 +38,392 1,081,755 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 133,078,480 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/15/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -6,286 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
TN -2,999 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, transportation equipment, fabricated metals, and industrial machinery industries.
TX -2,557 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, information, and manufacturing industries.
WI -2,075 Fewer layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
OH -1,918 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NC -1,734 Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation equipment, textile, and rubber/plastics industries.
GA -1,571 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
SC -1,307 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery and transportation equipment industries.
KY -1,228 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
MA -1,214 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WA -1,201 No comment.
IL -1,196 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY -1,015 Fewer layoffs in the service, finance, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment FL +1,148 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
PA +1,193 Layoffs in the furniture, primary metals, trade, and service industries.
MI +4,068 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
State Detail Prior Week UI Claims Series 1967 to current 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/
