Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.

News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 451,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 477,750, a decrease of 9,250 from the previous week's revised average of 487,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Aug. 28, 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. 28 was 4,478,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,480,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,488,000, a decrease of 3,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,491,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 4.986 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 376,558 in the week ending Sept. 4, a decrease of 6,476 from the previous week. There were 466,277 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending Aug. 28, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,052,572, a decrease of 73,554 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.1 percent and the volume was 5,437,541.

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 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. 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 4,720 in the week ending Aug. 28, an increase of 788 from the prior week. There were 2,648 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 71 from the preceding week.

There were 25,031 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 21, an increase of 239 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,830, a decrease of 323 from the prior week.

States reported 4,510,645 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 21, a decrease of 35,365 from the prior week. There were 3,156,763 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. 21 were in Puerto Rico (5.9 percent), New Jersey (4.6), Pennsylvania (4.6), Oregon (4.5), California (4.4), Connecticut (4.3), Alaska (4.1), Nevada (4.1), Rhode Island (4.0), and Wisconsin (3.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 28 were in New York (+4,891), Florida (+1,886), Nevada (+1,052), Oregon (+828), and Texas (+742), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,127), Illinois (-2,114), Iowa (-813), Michigan (-599), and Maryland (-550).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 4

Aug. 28

Change

Aug. 21

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

451,000

478,000

-27,000

478,000

556,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

376,558

383,034

-6,476

384,911

466,277

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

477,750

487,000

-9,250

488,000

566,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 28

Aug. 21

Change

Aug. 14

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,478,000

4,480,000

-2,000

4,479,000

6,035,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,052,572

4,126,126

-73,554

4,219,684

5,437,541

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,488,000

4,491,250

-3,250

4,513,750

6,081,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.5%

4.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.2%

3.3%

-0.1

3.3%

4.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 28

Aug. 21

Change

Year

Federal Employees

4,720

3,932

+788

1,488

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,648

2,719

-71

2,189

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 21

Aug. 14

Change

Year

Federal Employees

25,031

24,792

+239

19,766

Newly Discharged Veterans

40,830

41,153

-323

30,796

Railroad Retirement Board

4,000

4,000

0

9,000

Extended Benefits

959,368

894,659

+64,709

631,991

EUC 20083

4,510,645

4,546,010

-35,365

3,156,763

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 08/28/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-4,127

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

IL

-2,114

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NV

+1,052

No comment.

FL

+1,886

No comment.

NY

+4,891

Layoffs in the service and transportation industries.

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
September 9, 2010