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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 472,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 485,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 488,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Aug. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 21 was 4,456,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,479,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,485,250, a decrease of 28,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,513,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 4.994 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 378,511 in the week ending Aug. 28, a decrease of 6,400 from the previous week. There were 456,682 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending Aug. 21, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,103,789, a decrease of 115,895 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.2 percent and the volume was 5,622,401.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, 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, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Aug. 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,932 in the week ending Aug. 21, an increase of 180 from the prior week. There were 2,719 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 38 from the preceding week.

There were 24,792 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 14, an increase of 751 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,153, an increase of 713 from the prior week.

States reported 4,546,010 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 281,676 from the prior week. There were 3,081,750 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 14 were in Puerto Rico (6.9 percent), Pennsylvania (4.8), New Jersey (4.6), Oregon (4.5), Alaska (4.4), California (4.3), Connecticut (4.3), Nevada (4.1), Rhode Island (4.1), and Wisconsin (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 21 were in Florida (+1,906), Nevada (+503), Iowa (+297), Maryland (+250), and New York (+247), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,983), Ohio (-1,649), Michigan (-1,559), Wisconsin (-1,406), and Oregon (-1,356).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 28

Aug. 21

Change

Aug. 14

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

472,000

478,000

-6,000

504,000

568,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

378,511

384,911

-6,400

404,503

456,682

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

485,500

488,000

-2,500

483,500

566,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 21

Aug. 14

Change

Aug. 7

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,456,000

4,479,000

-23,000

4,515,000

6,111,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,103,789

4,219,684

-115,895

4,289,548

5,622,401

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,485,250

4,513,750

-28,500

4,536,000

6,103,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.6%

4.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.2%

3.3%

-0.1

3.4%

4.2%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 21

Aug. 14

Change

Year

Federal Employees

3,932

3,752

+180

1,527

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,719

2,757

-38

2,227

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 14

Aug. 7

Change

Year

Federal Employees

24,792

24,041

+751

20,186

Newly Discharged Veterans

41,153

40,440

+713

30,163

Railroad Retirement Board

4,000

4,000

0

10,000

Extended Benefits

894,659

932,756

-38,097

801,275

EUC 20083

4,546,010

4,827,686

-281,676

3,081,750

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 126,763,245 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/21/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,983

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

OH

-1,649

No comment.

MI

-1,559

No comment.

WI

-1,406

No comment.

OR

-1,356

No comment.

GA

-1,318

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

AL

-1,317

Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

+1,906

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
September 2, 2010