SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending September 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 292,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 323,000. The 4-week moving average was 321,250, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 328,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Aug. 31, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 31 was 2,871,000, a decrease of 73,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,944,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,953,000, a decrease of 24,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,977,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 228,399 in the week ending September 7, a decrease of 40,250 from the previous week. There were 299,729 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Aug. 31, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,569,200, a decrease of 174,830 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,744,030. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,930,825.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 24 was 4,272,741, a decrease of 122,971 from the previous week. There were 5,391,420 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.
No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending August 24.
Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,442 in the week ending Aug. 31, an increase of 193 from the prior week. There were 2,188 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 115 from the preceding week.
There were 19,952 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 24, a decrease of 879 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,285, a decrease of 469 from the prior week.
States reported 1,454,824 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending Aug. 24, a decrease of 39,918 from the prior week. There were 2,223,071 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending August 31 were in Puerto Rico (4.3), New Jersey (3.6), Connecticut (3.4), Alaska (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.1), New Mexico (3.0), California (2.9), Rhode Island (2.9), Virgin Islands (2.9), and New York (2.8).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 31 were in Oregon (+1,085), Pennsylvania (+725), Nebraska (+609), New Jersey (+537), and Kansas (+394), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,988), Nevada (-2,125), New York (-1,259), Georgia (-1,221), and Florida (-884).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance Sept. 7 Aug. 31 Change Aug. 24 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 292,000 323,000 -31,000 333,000 381,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 228,399 268,649 -40,250 279,024 299,729 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 321,250 328,750 -7,500 331,750 374,500 WEEK ENDING Advance Aug. 31 Aug. 24 Change Aug. 17 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,871,000 2,944,000 -73,000 2,994,000 3,293,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,569,200 2,744,030 -174,830 2,826,748 2,930,825 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,953,000 2,977,750 -24,750 2,997,500 3,307,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.3% -0.1 2.3% 2.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 2.2% 2.3% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Aug. 31 Aug. 24 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,442 1,249 +193 1,221 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,188 2,303 -115 2,540 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Aug. 24 Aug. 17 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 2,736,806 2,821,674 -84,868 3,078,000 Federal Employees (UCFE) 19,952 20,831 -879 17,433 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 33,285 33,754 -469 38,401 EUC 20083 1,454,824 1,494,742 -39,918 2,223,071 Extended Benefits4 271 239 +32 2,597 State Additional Benefits 5 3,780 3,923 -143 5,452 STC / Workshare 6 23,823 20,549 +3,274 26,466 TOTAL 4,272,741 4,395,712 -122,971 5,391,420 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 129,827,178 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 AUGUST 31, 2013 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -4,988 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
NV -2,125 No comment.
NY -1,259 Fewer layoffs in the educational service, food service, and manufacturing industries.
GA -1,085 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment OR +1,.085 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/
