SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 473,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 504,000. The 4-week moving average was 486,750, an increase of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 483,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 14 was 4,456,000, a decrease of 62,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,518,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,508,750, a decrease of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,536,750.
The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.001 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 380,935 in the week ending Aug. 21, a decrease of 23,613 from the previous week. There were 457,269 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,197,530, a decrease of 94,893 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,681,831.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, 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 Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Aug. 7.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,752 in the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 349 from the prior week. There were 2,758 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 168 from the preceding week.
There were 24,051 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 7, a decrease of 70 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,531, a decrease of 2,095 from the prior week.
States reported 4,899,646 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 7, an increase of 199,493 from the prior week. There were 2,993,925 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 7 were in Puerto Rico (7.0 percent), Pennsylvania (4.7), New Jersey (4.6), Oregon (4.6), California (4.5), Connecticut (4.4), Alaska (4.2), Nevada (4.2), Wisconsin (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 14 were in Puerto Rico (+2,190), Wisconsin (+1,004), New Jersey (+843), Alabama (+827), and Virginia (+456), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,275), Indiana (-2,209), Pennsylvania (-2,074), Ohio (-1,694), and Kentucky (-1,255).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 21 Aug. 14 Change Aug. 7 Year Initial Claims (SA) 473,000 504,000 -31,000 488,000 567,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 380,935 404,548 -23,613 424,506 457,269 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 486,750 483,500 +3,250 474,500 564,500 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 14 Aug. 7 Change July 31 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 4,456,000 4,518,000 -62,000 4,491,000 6,051,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,197,530 4,292,423 -94,893 4,333,520 5,681,831 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 4,508,750 4,536,750 -28,000 4,528,250 6,123,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.5% 3.6% -0.1 3.5% 4.5% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.3% 3.4% -0.1 3.4% 4.3% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 14 Aug. 7 Change Year Federal Employees 3,752 4,101 -349 1,377 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,758 2,926 -168 2,054 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Aug. 7 July 31 Change Year Federal Employees 24,051 24,121 -70 19,783 Newly Discharged Veterans 40,531 42,626 -2,095 30,541 Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 10,000 Extended Benefits 937,756 835,629 +102,127 623,233 EUC 20083 4,899,646 4,700,153 +199,493 2,993,925 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 126,763,245 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/14/2010 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -5,275 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
IN -2,209 No comment.
PA -2,074 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, food, and service industries.
OH -1,694 No comment.
KY -1,255 No comment.
FL -1,228 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
IL -1,198 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX -1,158 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment WI +1,004 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
PR +2,190 No comment.
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/
