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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 551,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 534,000. The 4-week moving average was 548,000, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 554,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending Sept. 19, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 19 was 6,090,000, a decrease of 70,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,160,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,154,500, a decrease of 39,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,193,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.665 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 443,694 in the week ending Sept. 26, an increase of 5,878 from the previous week. There were 392,515 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent during the week ending Sept. 19, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,054,617, a decrease of 169,287 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,018,976.

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 Mexico, 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 Sept. 12.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,455 in the week ending Sept. 19, an increase of 323 from the prior week. There were 2,296 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 367 from the preceding week.

There were 20,408 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 12, an increase of 1,202 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,689, an increase of 457 from the prior week.

States reported 3,275,213 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Sept. 12, an increase of 99,832 from the prior week. There were 1,559,198 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 Sept. 12 were in Puerto Rico (6.1 percent), Oregon (5.4), Nevada (5.3), Pennsylvania (5.3), California (4.9), Michigan (4.9), Wisconsin (4.8), New Jersey (4.7), North Carolina (4.7), Arkansas (4.6), and South Carolina (4.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 19 were in California (+5,112), Texas (+3,946), Florida (+2,348), Iowa (+2,013), and Illinois (+1,945), while the largest decreases were in Kansas (-1,545), Wisconsin (-1,258), Oregon (-833), Ohio (-804), and New York (-623).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 26

Sept. 19

Change

Sept. 12

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

551,000

534,000

+17,000

550,000

490,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

443,694

437,816

+5,878

411,126

392,515

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

548,000

554,250

-6,250

564,250

470,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 19

Sept. 12

Change

Sept. 5

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,090,000

6,160,000

-70,000

6,265,000

3,637,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,054,617

5,223,904

-169,287

5,300,249

3,018,976

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,154,500

6,193,750

-39,250

6,189,500

3,568,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.6%

4.6%

0.0

4.7%

2.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.8%

3.9%

-0.1

4.0%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 19

Sept. 12

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,455

1,132

+323

1,091

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,296

1,929

+367

1,638

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 12

Sept. 5

Change

Year

Federal Employees

20,408

19,206

+1,202

13,728

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,689

30,232

+457

22,119

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

443,041

438,391

+4,650

1,361

EUC 20083

3,275,213

3,175,381

+99,832

1,559,198

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 09/19/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

KS

-1,545

No comment.

WI

-1,258

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

KY

+1,202

No comment.

SC

+1,232

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TN

+1,275

Layoffs in the rubber/plastics, transportation equipment, industrial machinery, fabricated metals, and electrical equipment industries.

NJ

+1,319

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

AR

+1,336

No comment.

GA

+1,556

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

NC

+1,773

Layoffs in the textile, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, fabricated metals, chemical, and service industries.

IL

+1,945

Layoffs in the construction and trade industries.

IA

+2,013

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

FL

+2,348

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

TX

+3,946

Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

CA

+5,112

Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and transportation industries, and agriculture.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
October 1, 2009