SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 570,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 574,000. The 4-week moving average was 571,250, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 567,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending Aug. 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 22 was 6,234,000, an increase of 92,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,142,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,216,750, a decrease of 27,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,244,000.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.602 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 452,271 in the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 5,002 from the previous week. There were 358,730 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.2 percent during the week ending Aug. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,610,719, a decrease of 71,086 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,097,585.
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. 15.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,504 in the week ending Aug. 22, an increase of 127 from the prior week. There were 2,176 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 122 from the preceding week.
There were 20,150 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 15, an increase of 367 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,115, a decrease of 426 from the prior week.
States reported 3,029,668 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 15, an increase of 85,570 from the prior week. There were 1,550,093 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. 15 were in Puerto Rico (7.3 percent), Oregon (6.0), Pennsylvania (6.0), Nevada (5.7), Michigan (5.5), Wisconsin (5.4), Connecticut (5.3), California (5.2), New Jersey (5.2), and North Carolina (5.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 22 were in California (+8,632), Ohio (+2,018), New Hampshire (+1,237), Wisconsin (+906), and Minnesota (+664), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-2,968), Florida (-1,653), Pennsylvania (-1,288), New Jersey (-1,271), and Alabama (-1,266).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 29 Aug. 22 Change Aug. 15 Year Initial Claims (SA) 570,000 574,000 -4,000 580,000 450,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 452,271 457,273 -5,002 457,985 358,730 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 571,250 567,250 +4,000 571,000 440,250 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 22 Aug. 15 Change Aug. 8 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,234,000 6,142,000 +92,000 6,252,000 3,446,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 5,610,719 5,681,805 -71,086 5,808,572 3,097,585 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,216,750 6,244,000 -27,250 6,268,750 3,424,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.7% 4.6% +0.1 4.7% 2.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.2% 4.3% -0.1 4.4% 2.3% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 22 Aug. 15 Change Year Federal Employees 1,504 1,377 +127 1,029 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,176 2,054 +122 1,734 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 15 Aug. 8 Change Year Federal Employees 20,150 19,783 +367 14,146 Newly Discharged Veterans 30,115 30,541 -426 21,607 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 2,000 Extended Benefits 429,054 464,894 -35,840 1,413 EUC 20083 3,029,668 2,944,098 +85,570 1,550,093 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 08/22/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MI -2,968 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
FL -1,653 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
PA -1,288 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, primary metals, furniture, transportation, food, and service industries.
NJ -1,271 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
AL -1,266 Fewer layoffs in the public administration and primary metals industries.
IA -1,147 No comment.
WA -1,133 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NH +1,237 No comment.
OH +2,018 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
CA +8,632 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
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/
