SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 550,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 576,000. The 4-week moving average was 570,000, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 572,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 29, 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. 29 was 6,088,000, a decrease of 159,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,247,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,182,500, a decrease of 37,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,220,250.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.617 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,516 in the week ending Sept. 5, an increase of 3,834 from the previous week. There were 336,733 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent during the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,424,564, a decrease of 197,837 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,059,126.
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. 22.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,456 in the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 49 from the prior week. There were 2,153 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 33 from the preceding week.
There were 19,715 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 22, a decrease of 434 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,776, an increase of 661 from the prior week.
States reported 3,102,877 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 22, an increase of 73,209 from the prior week. There were 1,160,151 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. 22 were in Puerto Rico (7.0 percent), Pennsylvania (5.9), Oregon (5.9), Michigan (5.7), Nevada (5.7), California (5.3), Wisconsin (5.3), Connecticut (5.2), New Jersey (5.1), North Carolina (4.8), Rhode Island (4.8), and South Carolina (4.8).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 29 were in New York (+4,546), Texas (+2,837), Florida (+1,780), New Jersey (+1,368), and Georgia (+1,336), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-1,915), Ohio (-1,832), Oregon (-1,717), Wisconsin (-1,235), and Pennsylvania (-1,190).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Sept. 5 Aug. 29 Change Aug. 22 Year Initial Claims (SA) 550,000 576,000 -26,000 574,000 447,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 460,516 456,682 +3,834 457,269 336,733 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 570,000 572,750 -2,750 567,250 442,000 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 29 Aug. 22 Change Aug. 15 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,088,000 6,247,000 -159,000 6,143,000 3,549,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 5,424,564 5,622,401 -197,837 5,681,831 3,059,126 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,182,500 6,220,250 -37,750 6,244,250 3,463,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.6% 4.7% -0.1 4.6% 2.7% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.1% 4.2% -0.1 4.3% 2.3% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 29 Aug. 22 Change Year Federal Employees 1,456 1,505 -49 1,094 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,153 2,186 -33 1,637 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 22 Aug. 15 Change Year Federal Employees 19,715 20,149 -434 13,615 Newly Discharged Veterans 30,776 30,115 +661 21,862 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 2,000 Extended Benefits 438,571 458,028 -19,457 1,556 EUC 20083 3,102,877 3,029,668 +73,209 1,160,151 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 08/29/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MI -1,915 No comment.
OH -1,832 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
OR -1,717 No comment.
WI -1,235 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
PA -1,190 Fewer layoffs in the service, primary metals, transportation, and industrial machinery industries.
KS -1,004 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment GA +1,336 Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
NJ +1,368 Layoffs in the construction industry.
FL +1,780 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
TX +2,837 Layoffs in the service, information, and manufacturing industries.
NY +4,546 Layoffs in the transportation 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/
