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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 550,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 576,000. The 4-week moving average was 570,000, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 572,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 29 was 6,088,000, a decrease of 159,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,247,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,182,500, a decrease of 37,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,220,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.617 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,516 in the week ending Sept. 5, an increase of 3,834 from the previous week. There were 336,733 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent during the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,424,564, a decrease of 197,837 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,059,126.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, 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 Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Aug. 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,456 in the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 49 from the prior week. There were 2,153 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 33 from the preceding week.

There were 19,715 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 22, a decrease of 434 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,776, an increase of 661 from the prior week.

States reported 3,102,877 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 22, an increase of 73,209 from the prior week. There were 1,160,151 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 Aug. 22 were in Puerto Rico (7.0 percent), Pennsylvania (5.9), Oregon (5.9), Michigan (5.7), Nevada (5.7), California (5.3), Wisconsin (5.3), Connecticut (5.2), New Jersey (5.1), North Carolina (4.8), Rhode Island (4.8), and South Carolina (4.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 29 were in New York (+4,546), Texas (+2,837), Florida (+1,780), New Jersey (+1,368), and Georgia (+1,336), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-1,915), Ohio (-1,832), Oregon (-1,717), Wisconsin (-1,235), and Pennsylvania (-1,190).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 5

Aug. 29

Change

Aug. 22

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

550,000

576,000

-26,000

574,000

447,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

460,516

456,682

+3,834

457,269

336,733

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

570,000

572,750

-2,750

567,250

442,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 29

Aug. 22

Change

Aug. 15

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,088,000

6,247,000

-159,000

6,143,000

3,549,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,424,564

5,622,401

-197,837

5,681,831

3,059,126

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,182,500

6,220,250

-37,750

6,244,250

3,463,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.6%

4.7%

-0.1

4.6%

2.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.1%

4.2%

-0.1

4.3%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 29

Aug. 22

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,456

1,505

-49

1,094

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,153

2,186

-33

1,637

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 22

Aug. 15

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,715

20,149

-434

13,615

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,776

30,115

+661

21,862

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

438,571

458,028

-19,457

1,556

EUC 20083

3,102,877

3,029,668

+73,209

1,160,151

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 08/29/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

-1,915

No comment.

OH

-1,832

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

OR

-1,717

No comment.

WI

-1,235

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

PA

-1,190

Fewer layoffs in the service, primary metals, transportation, and industrial machinery industries.

KS

-1,004

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

GA

+1,336

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

NJ

+1,368

Layoffs in the construction industry.

FL

+1,780

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

TX

+2,837

Layoffs in the service, information, and manufacturing industries.

NY

+4,546

Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
September 10, 2009