Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.

News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 558,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 554,000. The 4-week moving average was 565,000, an increase of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average of 556,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending Aug. 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 4.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 1 was 6,202,000, a decrease of 141,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,343,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,259,250, a decrease of 27,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,287,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.548 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 479,824 in the week ending Aug. 8, an increase of 13,129 from the previous week. There were 373,858 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent during the week ending Aug. 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,860,918, a decrease of 158,904 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,199,339.

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, 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 25.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,368 in the week ending Aug. 1, a decrease of 293 from the prior week. There were 2,020 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 39 from the preceding week.

There were 19,568 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 25, a decrease of 215 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,340, an increase of 233 from the prior week.

States reported 2,785,372 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending July 25, an increase of 30,981 from the prior week. There were 747,707 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 25 were in Michigan (6.8 percent), Puerto Rico (6.7), Oregon (6.3), Pennsylvania (6.2), Nevada (6.0), Wisconsin (5.6), Connecticut (5.5), California (5.4), New Jersey (5.4), and Illinois (5.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 1 were in Alabama (+721), Washington (+692), Nebraska (+306), Kentucky (+247), and Delaware (+157), while the largest decreases were in California (-7,258), Michigan (-7,031), Tennessee (-4,391), Florida (-3,358), and Georgia (-2,538).

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 8

Aug. 1

Change

July 25

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

558,000

554,000

+4,000

589,000

440,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

479,824

466,695

+13,129

511,628

373,858

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

565,000

556,500

+8,500

560,250

436,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 1

July 25

Change

July 18

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,202,000

6,343,000

-141,000

6,241,000

3,396,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,860,918

6,019,822

-158,904

6,104,047

3,199,339

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,259,250

6,287,000

-27,750

6,427,250

3,303,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.7%

4.8%

-0.1

4.7%

2.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.4%

4.5%

-0.1

4.6%

2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 1

July 25

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,368

1,661

-293

1,082

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,020

1,981

+39

1,694

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

July 25

July 18

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,568

19,783

-215

13,710

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,340

30,107

+233

20,993

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

448,830

491,684

-42,854

1,831

EUC 20083

2,785,372

2,754,391

+30,981

747,707

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 08/01/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-7,258

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

MI

-7,031

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

TN

-4,391

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

FL

-3,358

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

GA

-2,538

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

IL

-2,535

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

SC

-2,391

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

OH

-2,382

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

PR

-1,835

No comment.

IN

-1,458

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

WI

-1,232

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

TX

-1,131

No comment.

PA

-1,131

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, industrial machinery, food, and wood products industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

State Detail Prior WeekUI 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/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
August 13, 2009