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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending September 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 423,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 432,000. The 4-week moving average was 421,000, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average of 420,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending September 10, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending September 10 was 3,727,000, a decrease of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,755,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,742,000, a decrease of 6,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,748,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 350,176 in the week ending September 17, an increase of 21,308 from the previous week. There were 382,341 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending September 10, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,286,967, a decrease of 6,138 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,930,908.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending September 3 was 6,889,058, a decrease of 256,256 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 September 3.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,561 in the week ending September 10, a decrease of 338 from the prior week. There were 2,492 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 259 from the preceding week.

There were 23,522 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending September 3, a decrease of 1,600 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,366, a decrease of 924 from the prior week.

States reported 2,996,662 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending September 3, a decrease of 70,009 from the prior week. There were 4,219,465 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 September 3 were in Puerto Rico (5.0), New Jersey (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.8), Alaska (3.6), Connecticut (3.5), Oregon (3.5), California (3.4), Nevada (3.4), Rhode Island (3.4), and New York (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending September 10 were in Pennsylvania (+3,662), Puerto Rico (+2,007), North Carolina (+1,699), Oregon (+847), and Virginia (+667) while the largest decreases were in Texas (-3,776), California (-3,321), Kansas (-2,733), Illinois (-2,358), and Missouri (-1,419).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Sept. 17

Sept. 10

Change

Sept. 3

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

423,000

432,000

-9,000

417,000

463,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

350,176

328,868

+21,308

348,582

382,341

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

421,000

420,500

+500

415,500

459,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance Sept. 10

Sept. 3

Change

August 27

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,727,000

3,755,000

-28,000

3,739,000

4,482,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,286,967

3,293,105

-6,138

3,436,188

3,930,908

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,742,000

3,748,500

-6,500

3,740,000

4,486,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.0

3.0

0.0

3.0

3.5

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.6

2.6

0.0

2.7

3.1

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 10

September 3

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,561

1,899

-338

3,918

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,492

2,751

-259

4,011

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 3

August 27

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,283,381

3,424,616

-141,235

3,919,289

Federal Employees (UCFE)

23,522

25,122

-1,600

26,904

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

37,366

38,290

-924

42,633

EUC 20083

2,996,662

3,066,671

-70,009

4,219,465

Extended Benefits4

507,700

541,041

-33,341

948,509

State Additional Benefits 5

4,160

4,156

+4

3,580

STC / Workshare 6

36,267

45,418

-9,151

58,795

TOTAL

6,889,058

7,145,314

-256,256

9,219,175

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 09/10/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TX

-3,776

Fewer layoffs due to holiday.

CA

-3,321

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

KS

-2,733

No comment.

IL

-2,358

No comment.

MO

-1,419

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

FL

-1,307

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

WA

-1,205

No comment.

NY

-1,168

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, real estate, and manufacturing industries.

AZ

-1,033

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

+1,699

Layoffs in the textile, construction, leather, and lumber industries.

PR

+2,007

No comment.

PA

+3,662

No comment.

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
September 22, 2011