SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,000, an increase of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average of 364,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 11, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 11, was 3,317,000, an increase of 4,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,313,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,311,500, an increase of 6,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,305,000.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 310,121 in the week ending Aug. 18, a decrease of 7,320 from the previous week. There were 344,870 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Aug. 11, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,164,819, a decrease of 15,192 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,557,586.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 4 was 5,594,498 , a decrease of 109,812 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were only available in Idaho during the week ending August 4.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,144 in the week ending Aug. 11, a decrease of 102 from the prior week. There were 2,577 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 39 from the preceding week.
There were 17,456 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending August 4, a decrease of 659 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,487, a decrease of 1,612 from the prior week.
States reported 2,326,635 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending August 4, a decrease of 47,334 from the prior week. There were 3,086,781 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending August 4 were in Puerto Rico (4.7), theVirgin Islands (4.6), Pennsylvania (3.8), New Jersey (3.7), Connecticut (3.6), Alaska (3.6), California (3.5), Rhode Island (3.2), New York (3.1), and Nevada (3.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 11 were in California (+7,941), Puerto Rico (+1,980), Oregon (+755), Idaho (+527), and Connecticut (+306), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-2,324), Pennsylvania (-1,879), Indiana (-1,485), Illinois (-1,223), and Massachsetts (-1,212).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance August 18 August 11 Change August 4 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 372,000 368,000 +4,000 364,000 414,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 310,121 317,441 -7,320 320,219 344,870 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 368,000 364,250 +3,750 369,250 405,750 WEEK ENDING Advance August 11 August 4 Change July 28 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,317,000 3,313,000 +4,000 3,336,000 3,737,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,164,819 3,180,011 -15,192 3,242,883 3,557,586 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,311,500 3,305,000 +6,500 3,306,000 3,719,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 2.8% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING August 11 August 4 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,144 1,246 -102 1,958 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,577 2,538 +39 2,539 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING August 4 July 28 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,172,438 3,234,839 -62,401 3,541,748 Federal Employees (UCFE) 17,456 18,115 -659 26,778 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 38,487 40,099 -1,612 38,131 EUC 20083 2,326,635 2,373,969 -47,334 3,086,781 Extended Benefits4 4,236 5,223 -987 549,307 State Additional Benefits 5 5,741 5,319 +422 4,631 STC / Workshare 6 29,505 26,746 +2,759 41,643 TOTAL 5,594,498 5,704,310 -109,812 7,289,019 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 127,495,952 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 paid, 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 08/11/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MI -2,324 No comment.
PA -1,879 Fewer layoff in the scientific and technology service, health care and social service, transportation, and retail trade industries.
IN -1,485 No comment.
IL -1,223 Fewer layoffs in the construction, administrative support service and retail trade industries.
MA -1,212 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA +7,941 Layoffs in the service industry.
PR +1,980 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/
