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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 550,000, a decrease of 38,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 588,000. The 4-week moving average was 555,250, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 560,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending July 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 25 was 6,310,000, an increase of 69,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,241,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,278,750, a decrease of 148,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,427,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.522 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 463,062 in the week ending Aug. 1, a decrease of 48,296 from the previous week. There were 382,792 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent during the week ending July 25, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,987,728, a decrease of 116,319 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,166,763.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending July 18.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,661 in the week ending July 25, a decrease of 30 from the prior week. There were 1,981 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 80 from the preceding week.

There were 19,783 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 18, an increase of 1,066 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,107, an increase of 175 from the prior week.

States reported 2,754,391 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending July 18, an increase of 97,512 from the prior week. There were 607,368 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 18 were in Puerto Rico (8.0 percent), Michigan (6.7), Oregon (6.5), Pennsylvania (6.5), Nevada (6.1), Wisconsin (5.7), Connecticut (5.5), New Jersey (5.5), California (5.4), Rhode Island (5.3), and South Carolina (5.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 25 were in Ohio (+891), Oklahoma (+644), Mississippi (+222), Louisiana (+154), and Alaska (+129), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-9,809), Michigan (-9,085), Florida (-8,714), Georgia (-6,948), and Alabama (-3,822).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 1

July 25

Change

July 18

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

550,000

588,000

-38,000

559,000

450,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

463,062

511,358

-48,296

585,575

382,792

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

555,250

560,000

-4,750

567,250

423,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

July 25

July 18

Change

July 11

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,310,000

6,241,000

+69,000

6,251,000

3,344,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,987,728

6,104,047

-116,319

6,256,960

3,166,763

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,278,750

6,427,250

-148,500

6,548,000

3,246,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.7%

4.7%

0.0

4.7%

2.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.5%

4.6%

-0.1

4.7%

2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

July 25

July 18

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,661

1,691

-30

1,079

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,981

2,061

-80

1,424

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

July 18

July 11

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,783

18,717

+1,066

14,136

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,107

29,932

+175

20,837

Railroad Retirement Board

14,000

14,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

491,684

352,393

+139,291

1,471

EUC 20083

2,754,391

2,656,879

+97,512

607,368

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 133,078,480 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 07/25/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

-9,809

Fewer layoffs in the rubber/plastics, textile, furniture, industrial machinery, and trade industries.

MI

-9,085

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

FL

-8,714

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

GA

-6,948

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

AL

-3,822

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, primary metals, apparel, and manufacturing industries.

NY

-3,577

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.

PA

-3,518

Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, fabricated metals, and service industries.

IN

-3,478

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

VA

-2,975

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

IL

-2,835

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

KY

-1,697

Fewer layoffs in the automobile, trade, and manufacturing industries.

MO

-1,648

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NJ

-1,548

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, service, and manufacturing industries.

WI

-1,511

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

CT

-1,459

No comment.

KS

-1,187

No comment.

WA

-1,165

No comment.

CA

-1,138

No comment.

IA

-1,112

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
August 6, 2009