Special Factor: As a result of a labor dispute between Communications Workers of America and Verizon Communications, at least 12,500 initial claims were filed in the week ending 8/13/2011 and at least 8,500 initial claims were filed in the week ending 8/20/2011.
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 417,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 412,000. The 4-week moving average was 407,500, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 403,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 13, a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 13 was 3,641,000, a decrease of 80,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,721,250. The 4-week moving average was 3,701,000, a decrease of 19,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,720,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 341,436 in the week ending Aug. 20, a decrease of 4,536 from the previous week. There were 384,955 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Aug. 13, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,452,004, a decrease of 101,224 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,219,639.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 6 was 7,290,189, a decrease of 45,989 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending August 6.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,959 in the week ending Aug. 13, a decrease of 1,585 from the prior week. There were 2,540 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 414 from the preceding week.
There were 26,769 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending August 6, an increase of 635 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,135, an increase of 508 from the prior week.
States reported 3,086,781 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending August 6, a decrease of 43,827 from the prior week. There were 4,820,132 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending August 6 were in Puerto Rico (5.2), Pennsylvania (4.2), New Jersey (4.0), Alaska (3.9) , Connecticut (3.8), California (3.7), Oregon (3.7), Nevada (3.6), Rhode Island (3.6) and Wisconsin (3.4).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 13 were in New York (+5,047), Massachusetts (+2,499), New Jersey (+2,223), Puerto Rico (+1,236), and Connecticut (+532) while the largest decreases were in California (-10,912), Texas (-1,690), Minnesota (-1,061), Florida (-987), and Missouri (-836 ).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance August 20 August 13 Change August 6 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 417,000 412,000 +5,000 399,000 469,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 341,436 345,972 -4,536 354,408 384,955 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 407,500 403,500 +4,000 406,000 477,250 WEEK ENDING Advance August 13 August 6 Change July 30 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,641,000 3,721,000 -80,000 3,695,000 4,461,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,452,004 3,553,228 -101,224 3,580,433 4,219,639 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,701,250 3,720,750 -19,500 3,720,500 4,489,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9 3.0 -0.1 2.9 3.5 Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7 2.8 -0.1 2.8 3.3 INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING August 13 August 6 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,959 3,544 -1,585 3,752 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,540 2,954 -414 2,757 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING August 6 July 30 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,541,327 3,570,120 -28,793 4,266,446 Federal Employees (UCFE) 26,769 26,134 635 24,041 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 38,135 37,627 508 40,440 EUC 20083 3,086,781 3,130,608 -43,827 4,820,132 Extended Benefits4 550,903 527,490 23,413 938,727 State Additional Benefits 5 4,631 3,577 1,054 3,962 STC / Workshare 6 41,643 40,622 1,021 63,198 TOTAL 7,290,189 7,336,178 -45,989 10,156,946 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 125,807,389 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/13/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -10,912 Fewer layoffs in the service industries.
TX -1,690 No comment.
MN -1,061 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment PR +1,236 No comment.
NJ +2,223 Layoffs in the service industries.
MA +2,499 No comment.
NY +5,047 Layoffs in the 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/
