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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 473,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 504,000. The 4-week moving average was 486,750, an increase of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 483,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 14 was 4,456,000, a decrease of 62,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,518,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,508,750, a decrease of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,536,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.001 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 380,935 in the week ending Aug. 21, a decrease of 23,613 from the previous week. There were 457,269 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,197,530, a decrease of 94,893 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,681,831.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Aug. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 3,752 in the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 349 from the prior week. There were 2,758 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 168 from the preceding week.

There were 24,051 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 7, a decrease of 70 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,531, a decrease of 2,095 from the prior week.

States reported 4,899,646 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 7, an increase of 199,493 from the prior week. There were 2,993,925 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 7 were in Puerto Rico (7.0 percent), Pennsylvania (4.7), New Jersey (4.6), Oregon (4.6), California (4.5), Connecticut (4.4), Alaska (4.2), Nevada (4.2), Wisconsin (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 14 were in Puerto Rico (+2,190), Wisconsin (+1,004), New Jersey (+843), Alabama (+827), and Virginia (+456), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,275), Indiana (-2,209), Pennsylvania (-2,074), Ohio (-1,694), and Kentucky (-1,255).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 21

Aug. 14

Change

Aug. 7

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

473,000

504,000

-31,000

488,000

567,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

380,935

404,548

-23,613

424,506

457,269

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

486,750

483,500

+3,250

474,500

564,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 14

Aug. 7

Change

July 31

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,456,000

4,518,000

-62,000

4,491,000

6,051,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,197,530

4,292,423

-94,893

4,333,520

5,681,831

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,508,750

4,536,750

-28,000

4,528,250

6,123,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.6%

-0.1

3.5%

4.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.3%

3.4%

-0.1

3.4%

4.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 14

Aug. 7

Change

Year

Federal Employees

3,752

4,101

-349

1,377

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,758

2,926

-168

2,054

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 7

July 31

Change

Year

Federal Employees

24,051

24,121

-70

19,783

Newly Discharged Veterans

40,531

42,626

-2,095

30,541

Railroad Retirement Board

4,000

4,000

0

10,000

Extended Benefits

937,756

835,629

+102,127

623,233

EUC 20083

4,899,646

4,700,153

+199,493

2,993,925

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 126,763,245 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/14/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,275

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

IN

-2,209

No comment.

PA

-2,074

Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, food, and service industries.

OH

-1,694

No comment.

KY

-1,255

No comment.

FL

-1,228

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

IL

-1,198

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

TX

-1,158

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

WI

+1,004

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

PR

+2,190

No comment.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
August 26, 2010