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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending August 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 408,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 399,000. The 4-week moving average was 402,500, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 406,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending August 6, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 6 was 3,702,000, an increase of 7,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,695,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,716,000, a decrease of 4,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,720,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 342,669 in the week ending August 13, a decrease of 11,739 from the previous week. There were 405,484 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending August 6, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,535,364, a decrease of 45,069 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,281,074.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending July 30 was 7,336,178, a decrease of 143,737 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 30.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,544 in the week ending August 6, an increase of 399 from the prior week. There were 2,954 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 303 from the preceding week.

There were 26,134 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 30, an increase of 1,408 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,627, a decrease of 641 from the prior week.

States reported 3,130,608 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending July 30, a decrease of 27,704 from the prior week. There were 4,694,058 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 30 were in Puerto Rico (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.3), California (3.9), New Jersey (3.9), Alaska (3.8) , Connecticut (3.8), Oregon (3.7), Rhode Island (3.7), Nevada (3.5) and Arizona (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 6 were in California (+7,848), Texas (+1,374), North Carolina (+1,176), Illinois (+988), and Massachusetts (+926) while the largest decreases were in Florida (-2,580), Puerto Rico (-1,705), Indiana (-900), Oregon (-544), and Kentucky (-487 ).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance August 13

August 6

Change

July 30

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

408,000

399,000

+9,000

402,000

488,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

342,669

354,408

-11,739

341,103

405,484

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

402,500

406,000

-3,500

408,250

474,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance August 6

July 30

Change

July 23

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,702,000

3,695,000

+7,000

3,748,000

4,487,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,535,364

3,580,433

-45,069

3,680,729

4,281,074

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,716,000

3,720,500

-4,500

3,734,000

4,507,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9

2.9

0.0

3.0

3.5

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.8

2.8

0.0

2.9

3.4

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

August 6

July 30

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

3,544

3,145

+399

4,101

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,954

2,651

+303

2,926

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

July 30

July 23

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,570,120

3,670,074

-99,954

4,318,426

Federal Employees (UCFE)

26,134

24,726

+1,408

24,121

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

37,627

38,268

-641

42,626

EUC 20083

3,130,608

3,158,312

-27,704

4,694,058

Extended Benefits4

527,490

543,513

-16,023

825,095

State Additional Benefits 5

3,577

4,862

-1,285

3,911

STC / Workshare 6

40,622

40,160

+462

61,381

TOTAL

7,336,178

7,479,915

-143,737

9,969,618

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 08/06/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

FL

-2,580

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

PR

-1,705

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

+1,176

Layoffs in the leather, furniture and fixtures, and service industries.

TX

+1,374

Layoffs in the service, manufacturing, and transportation industries.

CA

+7,848

Layoffs in the service industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
August 18, 2011