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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 465,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 453,000. The 4-week moving average was 463,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 466,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 11, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 11 was 4,489,000, a decrease of 48,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,537,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,519,500, an increase of 2,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,517,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 379,369 in the week ending Sept. 18, an increase of 37,705 from the previous week. There were 437,543 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending Sept. 11, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,891,808, a decrease of 42,132 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.9 percent and the volume was 5,223,904.

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 Sept. 4.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,918 in the week ending Sept. 11, a decrease of 1,151 from the prior week. There were 4,011 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 265 from the preceding week.

There were 26,904 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 4, a decrease of 9,329 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,633, an increase of 537 from the prior week.

States reported 4,222,314 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Sept. 4, an increase of 113,785 from the prior week. There were 3,213,139 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 Sept. 4 were in Puerto Rico (6.2 percent), New Jersey (4.4), Oregon (4.3), Nevada (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.2), Alaska (4.0), California (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), Illinois (3.6), and Wisconsin (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 11 were in Florida (+2,755), Wisconsin (+803), Virginia (+542), Iowa (+357), and Kansas (+231), while the largest decreases were in California (-10,754), Texas (-3,818), New York (-3,407), Pennsylvania (-3,175), and Georgia (-2,466).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 18

Sept. 11

Change

Sept. 4

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

465,000

453,000

+12,000

457,000

538,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

379,369

341,664

+37,705

381,838

437,543

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

463,250

466,500

-3,250

479,250

552,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 11

Sept. 4

Change

Aug. 28

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,489,000

4,537,000

-48,000

4,573,000

6,067,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,891,808

3,933,940

-42,132

4,138,969

5,223,904

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,519,500

4,517,000

+2,500

4,511,500

6,081,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.6%

-0.1

3.6%

4.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.1%

3.1%

0.0

3.3%

3.9%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 11

Sept. 4

Change

Year

Federal Employees

3,918

5,069

-1,151

1,154

Newly Discharged Veterans

4,011

4,276

-265

1,961

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 4

Aug. 28

Change

Year

Federal Employees

26,904

36,233

-9,329

19,245

Newly Discharged Veterans

42,633

42,096

+537

30,268

Railroad Retirement Board

4,000

4,000

0

10,000

Extended Benefits

949,807

855,624

+94,183

646,778

EUC 20083

4,222,314

4,108,529

+113,785

3,213,139

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 09/11/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-10,754

A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the service industry.

TX

-3,818

A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

NY

-3,407

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

PA

-3,175

Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.

GA

-2,466

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

NJ

-1,738

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

MI

-1,721

No comment.

NV

-1,490

A shorter workweek.

PR

-1,305

No comment.

TN

-1,265

Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.

AZ

-1,119

No comment.

OH

-1,017

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

+2,755

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

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
September 23, 2010