SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 365,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 377,000. The 4-week moving average was 371,250, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 371,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 25 was 3,322,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,328,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,320,750, a decrease of 3,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,324,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 307,831 in the week ending Sept. 1, a decrease of 4,280 from the previous week. There were 348,582 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Aug. 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,075,994, a decrease of 39,314 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,436,188.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 18 was 5,467,752, a decrease of 63,076 from the previous week. There were 7,167,416 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2011 Extended Benefits were not available in any states during the week ending August 18.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,226 in the week ending Aug. 25, a decrease of 67 from the prior week. There were 2,661 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 48 from the preceding week.
There were 17,060 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 18, a decrease of 505 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,939, a decrease of 1 from the prior week.
States reported 2,263,614 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 18, a decrease of 9,703 from the prior week. There were 3,060,622 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 18 were in Puerto Rico (4.2), Pennsylvania (3.7), New Jersey (3.7), Connecticut (3.7), Alaska (3.6), California (3.5), New York (3.1), Rhode Island (3.0), Oregon (3.0), and Massachusetts (2.9).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 25 were in New York (+3,110), North Carolina (+1,237), Georgia (+1,039), Massachusetts (+731), and Ohio (+631), while the largest decreases were in California (-1,757), Pennsylvania (-1,273), Michigan (-1,203), Florida (-844), and South Carolina (-787).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance September 1 August 25 Change August 18 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 365,000 377,000 -12,000 374,000 411,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 307,831 312,111 -4,280 311,857 348,582 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 371,250 371,000 +250 368,750 410,000 WEEK ENDING Advance August 25 August 18 Change August 11 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,322,000 3,328,000 -6,000 3,320,000 3,719,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,075,994 3,115,308 -39,314 3,167,174 3,436,188 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,320,750 3,324,250 -3,500 3,312,250 3,723,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.4% 0.0 2.5% 2.7% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING August 25 August 18 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,226 1,293 -67 2,016 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,661 2,613 +48 2,687 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING August 18 August 11 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,106,007 3,158,440 -52,433 3,461,773 Federal Employees (UCFE) 17,060 17,565 -505 23,988 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 38,939 38,940 -1 38,171 EUC 20083 2,263,614 2,273,317 -9,703 3,060,622 Extended Benefits4 3,296 5,412 -2,116 535,132 State Additional Benefits 5 5,896 5,665 +231 4,165 STC / Workshare 6 32,940 31,489 +1,451 43,565 TOTAL 5,467,752 5,530,828 -63,076 7,167,416 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 08/25/2012 STATES WITH A INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY +3,110 Layoffs in the transportation, educational service, health care and social assistance industries.
NC +1,237 Layoffs in the primary metal, industrial and commercial machinery, computer equipment and social service industries.
GA +1,039 Layoffs in the manufacturing, administrative and support service industries.
STATES WITH AN DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -1,757 No comment.
PA -1,273 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment, construction, professional, scientific and technology service and educational service industries.
MI -1,203 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/
