Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.

News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 576,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 561,000. The 4-week moving average was 570,000, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 565,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending Aug. 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 8 was 6,241,000, an increase of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,239,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,266,000, a decrease of 2,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,268,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.565 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 454,216 in the week ending Aug. 15, a decrease of 28,406 from the previous week. There were 343,169 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent during the week ending Aug. 8, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,798,001, a decrease of 97,650 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,160,610.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending Aug. 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,639 in the week ending Aug. 8, an increase of 271 from the prior week. There were 2,252 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 232 from the preceding week.

There were 20,577 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 1, an increase of 1,009 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 30,325, a decrease of 15 from the prior week.

States reported 2,877,756 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 1, an increase of 92,384 from the prior week. There were 1,406,779 claimants in the comparable week in 2008. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 1 were in Puerto Rico (7.3 percent), Oregon (6.2), Pennsylvania (6.1), Michigan (5.9), Nevada (5.9), Wisconsin (5.5), California (5.3), Connecticut (5.3), New Jersey (5.3), North Carolina (5.1), and South Carolina (5.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 8 were in Tennessee (+2,525), North Carolina (+2,469), Wisconsin (+2,078), Georgia (+1,753), and Washington (+1,697), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,635), Michigan (-1,490), Ohio (-951), Kentucky (-690), and Delaware (-226).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 15

Aug. 8

Change

Aug. 1

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

576,000

561,000

+15,000

554,000

438,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

454,216

482,622

-28,406

466,695

343,169

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

570,000

565,750

+4,250

556,500

442,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 8

Aug. 1

Change

July 25

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,241,000

6,239,000

+2,000

6,343,000

3,406,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,798,001

5,895,651

-97,650

6,019,822

3,160,610

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,266,000

6,268,500

-2,500

6,287,000

3,363,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.7%

4.7%

0.0

4.8%

2.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.4%

4.4%

0.0

4.5%

2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 8

Aug. 1

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,639

1,368

+271

1,158

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,252

2,020

+232

1,724

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 1

July 25

Change

Year

Federal Employees

20,577

19,568

+1,009

14,033

Newly Discharged Veterans

30,325

30,340

-15

20,906

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

400,779

448,830

-48,051

1,559

EUC 20083

2,877,756

2,785,372

+92,384

1,406,779

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 133,078,480 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/08/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,635

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

MI

-1,490

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MA

+1,318

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

NY

+1,453

Layoffs in the trade, service, finance, and insurance industries.

TX

+1,569

Layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.

SC

+1,584

Layoffs in the transportation equipment and industrial machinery industries.

PR

+1,601

No comment.

WA

+1,697

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

GA

+1,753

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

WI

+2,078

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

NC

+2,469

Layoffs in the transportation equipment, textile, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, construction, and service industries.

TN

+2,525

Layoffs in the transportation equipment, industrial machinery, rubber/plastics, and service industries.

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 20, 2009