News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-1207-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : August 28, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 425,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 435,000. The 4-week moving average was 440,250, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised average of 446,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 16, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 16 was 3,423,000, an increase of 64,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,359,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,365,500, an increase of 36,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,329,250.  

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 2.994 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 341,781 in the week ending Aug.23, a decrease of 1,388 from the previous week. There were 266,179 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Aug. 16, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,169,957, an increase of 9,347 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.8 percent and the volume was 2,369,648.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska and Rhode Island during the week ending Aug. 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,061 in the week ending Aug. 16, a decrease of 90 from the prior week. There were 1,705 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 21 from the preceding week.

There were 13,624 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 9, a decrease of 505 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,383, an increase of 462 from the prior week.

States reported 980,695 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 9, a decrease of 313,633 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 9 were in Puerto Rico (4.9 percent), New Jersey (3.4), Michigan (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.3), Rhode Island (3.3), California (3.2), Massachusetts (3.2), Oregon (3.2), Nevada (3.1), and South Carolina (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 16 were in Florida (+932), Iowa (+657), Missouri (+567), Puerto Rico (+560), and Oklahoma (+403), while the largest decreases were in California (-7,862), Illinois (-3,546), Ohio (-3,410), Georgia (-2,903), and New York (-2,178).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 23 Aug. 16 Change Aug. 9 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 425,000 435,000 -10,000 444,000 332,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 341,781 343,169 -1,388 373,858 266,179
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 440,250 446,250 -6,000 438,250 324,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 16 Aug. 9 Change Aug. 2 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,423,000 3,359,000 +64,000 3,378,000 2,576,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,169,957 3,160,610 +9,347 3,199,339 2,369,648
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,365,500 3,329,250 +36,250 3,263,750 2,563,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.5% +0.1 2.5% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
2.4% 2.4% 0.0 2.4% 1.8%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 16
Aug. 9
Change
Year

Federal Employees 1,061 1,151 -90 990
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,705 1,726 -21 1,827

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 9
Aug. 2
Change
Year

Federal Employees 13,624 14,129 -505 14,244
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,383 20,921 +462 21,377
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 1,671 1,569 +102 0
EUC 2008 980,695 1,294,328 -313,633 0

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 133,690,617 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/16/2008 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -7,862 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
IL -3,546 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH -3,410 No comment.
GA -2,903 Fewer layoffs in the construction, textile, and manufacturing industries.
NY -2,178 Fewer layoffs in the finance, insurance, and service industries.
SC -1,894 Fewer layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.
MA -1,367 Fewer layoffs sin the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI -1,121 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
LA -1,013 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current



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