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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending August 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 395,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 402,000. The 4-week moving average was 405,000, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 408,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending July 30, a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 30 was 3,688,000, a decrease of 60,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,748,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,718,750, a decrease of 15,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,734,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 351,370 in the week ending August 6, an increase of 10,267 from the previous week. There were 425,471 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending July 30, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,573,254, a decrease of 107,475 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,333,445.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending July 23 was 7,479,915, a decrease of 89,945 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, 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, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending July 23.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,145 in the week ending July 30, an increase of 1364 from the prior week. There were 2,651 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 46 from the preceding week.

There were 24,726 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 23, a decrease of 951 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,268, an increase of 559 from the prior week.

States reported 3,158,621 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending July 23, a decrease of 26,309 from the prior week. There were 4,145,702 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 23 were in Puerto Rico (5.5), Pennsylvania (4.2), New Jersey (4.1), Alaska (3.9) California (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), Oregon (3.8), Rhode Island (3.7), Nevada (3.6) and Arizona (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 30 were in Minnesota (+472), Kentucky (+393), New Jersey (+291), Delaware (+64), and Vermont (+50) while the largest decreases were in Tennessee (-4,448), Michigan (-3,025), Florida (-2,336), New York (-2,132), and Texas (-1,828 ).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance August 6

July 30

Change

July 23

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

395,000

402,000

-7,000

401,000

478,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

351,370

341,103

+10,267

369,207

425,471

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

405,000

408,250

-3,250

414,500

468,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance July 30

July 23

Change

July 16

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,688,000

3,748,000

-60,000

3,719,000

4,477,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,573,254

3,680,729

-107,475

3,752,532

4,333,445

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,718,750

3,734,000

-15,250

3,725,000

4,506,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9

3.0

-0.1

3.0

3.5

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.8

2.9

-0.1

3.0

3.4

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

July 30

July 23

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

3,145

1,781

1,364

3,247

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,651

2,697

-46

2,668

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

July 23

July 16

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,670,074

3,742,234

-72,160

4,423,548

Federal Employees (UCFE)

24,726

25,677

-951

23,114

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,268

37,709

559

43,411

EUC 20083

3,158,312

3,184,621

-26,309

4,145,702

Extended Benefits4

543,513

533,450

10,063

724,897

State Additional Benefits 5

4,862

4,862

0

4,287

STC / Workshare 6

40,160

41,307

-1,147

62,844

TOTAL

7,479,915

7,569,860

-89,945

9,427,803

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 125,807,389 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 07/30/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TN

-4,448

No comment.

MI

-3,025

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

FL

-2,336

Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and retail industries.

NY

-2,132

Fewer layoffs in the education related services, transportation, and other service industries.

TX

-1,828

No comment.

PA

-1,675

Fewer layoffs in the education related services and service industries.

AL

-1,587

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, service, plastic and rubber industries.

NC

-1,408

Fewer layoffs in the electronic, transportation, textile, furniture and fixtures, and service industries.

GA

-1,194

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.

PR

-1,168

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

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
August 11, 2011