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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 545,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 557,000. The 4-week moving average was 563,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average of 571,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending Sept. 5, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 5 was 6,230,000, an increase of 129,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,101,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,180,250, a decrease of 5,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,185,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.636 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 407,869 in the week ending Sept. 12, a decrease of 58,429 from the previous week. There were 382,249 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.0 percent during the week ending Sept. 5, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,270,688, a decrease of 165,485 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,040,859.

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. 29.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,539 in the week ending Sept. 5, an increase of 83 from the prior week. There were 2,195 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 42 from the preceding week.

There were 20,414 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 29, an increase of 699 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,213, a decrease of 563 from the prior week.

States reported 3,141,485 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 29, an increase of 21,781 from the prior week. There were 1,525,890 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. 29 were in Puerto Rico (6.8 percent), Oregon (5.7), Pennsylvania (5.7), Nevada (5.5), Michigan (5.2), Connecticut (5.1), New Jersey (5.1), California (5.0), Wisconsin (5.0), North Carolina (4.8), and Rhode Island (4.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 5 were in Washington (+2,620), Pennsylvania (+2,573), Massachusetts(+1,565), North Carolina (+1,332), and Illinois (+1,218), while the largest decreases were in California (-2,751), New York (-2,479), Wisconsin (-1,149), Texas (-809), and New Jersey (-700).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 12

Sept. 5

Change

Aug. 29

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

545,000

557,000

-12,000

576,000

459,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

407,869

466,298

-58,429

456,682

382,249

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

563,000

571,750

-8,750

572,750

447,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 5

Aug. 29

Change

Aug. 22

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,230,000

6,101,000

+129,000

6,247,000

3,507,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,270,688

5,436,173

-165,485

5,622,401

3,040,859

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,180,250

6,185,750

-5,500

6,220,250

3,488,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.7%

4.6%

+0.1

4.7%

2.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.0%

4.1%

-0.1

4.2%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 5

Aug. 29

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,539

1,456

+83

942

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,195

2,153

+42

1,692

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 29

Aug. 22

Change

Year

Federal Employees

20,414

19,715

+699

13,402

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,213

30,776

-563

21,256

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

435,029

424,847

+10,182

582

EUC 20083

3,141,485

3,119,704

+21,781

1,525,890

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 09/05/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-2,751

Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.

NY

-2,479

Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.

WI

-1,149

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

SC

+1,157

Layoffs in the transportation equipment and industrial machinery industries.

IL

+1,218

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

NC

+1,332

Layoffs in the paper, furniture, and computer industries.

MA

+1,565

Layoffs in the construction industry.

PA

+2,573

Layoffs in the transportation equipment, industrial machinery, primary metals, and service industries.

WA

+2,620

Layoffs in the construction, service, public administration, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
September 17, 2009