News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-1270-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : August 23, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 322,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 324,000. The 4-week moving average was 317,750, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 313,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 11, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 11 was 2,572,000, an increase of 16,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,556,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,553,000, an increase of 7,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,545,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 255,116 in the week ending Aug. 18, a decrease of 11,563 from the previous week. There were 252,357 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Aug. 11, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,419,866, an increase of 7,750 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.8 percent and the volume was 2,326,364.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 4

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,192 in the week ending Aug. 11, an increase of 142 from the prior week. There were 1,877 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 168 from the preceding week.

There were 14,354 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 4, an increase of 258 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,241, a decrease of 61 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 4 were in Puerto Rico (3.2 percent), New Jersey (3.1), Rhode Island (2.9), Michigan (2.8), Pennsylvania (2.8), Arkansas (2.5), Massachusetts (2.5), Alaska (2.4), Connecticut (2.4), California (2.3), and Oregon (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 11 were in California (+2,573), North Carolina (+1,733), New York (+1,343), Nevada (+633), and Louisiana (+503), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-4,053), Michigan (-3,823), Iowa (-898), Illinois (-709), and Pennsylvania (-615).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 18 Aug. 11 Change Aug. 4 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 322,000 324,000 -2,000 316,000 317,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 255,116 266,679 -11,563 270,563 252,357
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 317,750 313,000 +4,750 307,750 316,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 11 Aug. 4 Change July 28 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,572,000 2,556,000 +16,000 2,550,000 2,475,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,419,866 2,415,508 +4,358 2,445,524 2,326,364
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,553,000 2,545,250 +7,750 2,547,000 2,468,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.8% 1.8% 0.0 1.9% 1.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 11
Aug. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,192 1,050 +142 1,232
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,877 1,709 +168 2,250
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 4
July 28
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,354 14,096 +258 15,145
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,241 21,302 -61 25,856
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 9
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 132,170,980 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/11/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -4,053 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
MI -3,823 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +1,343 Layoffs in the transportation and finance industries.
NC +1,733 Layoffs in the electronic equipment, transportation equipment, textile, and rubber/plastics industries.
CA +2,573 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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