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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending August 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 331,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 337,000. The 4-week moving average was 331,250, an increase of 750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 330,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending August 17, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 17 was 2,989,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,003,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,996,250, an increase of 9,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,986,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 277,359 in the week ending August 24, a decrease of 2,959 from the previous week. There were 312,542 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending August 17, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,821,658, a decrease of 58,419 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,880,077. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,117,558.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 10 was 4,467,574, an increase of 28,918 from the previous week. There were 5,530,828 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending August 10.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,104 in the week ending August 17, a decrease of 333 from the prior week. There were 2,164 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 197 from the preceding week.

There were 21,083 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending August 10, a decrease of 125 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,778, an increase of 543 from the prior week.

States reported 1,511,619 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending August 10, an increase of 10,551 from the prior week. There were 2,273,317 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending August 17 were in Puerto Rico (4.7), New Jersey (3.6), Alaska (3.4), Connecticut (3.4), California (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.2), New Mexico (3.1), Virgin Islands (3.1), Nevada (2.8), and Rhode Island (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 17 were in California (+5,867), Missouri (+1,757), New Jersey (+677), Kansas (+460), and New York (+445), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-1,017), Pennsylvania (-899), Maryland (-722), Washington (-720), and Florida (-601).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Aug. 24

Aug. 17

Change

Aug. 10

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

331,000

337,000

-6,000

322,000

375,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

277,359

280,318

-2,959

282,703

312,542

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

331,250

330,500

+750

332,500

371,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance Aug. 17

Aug. 10

Change

Aug. 3

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

2,989,000

3,003,000

-14,000

2,970,000

3,317,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

2,821,658

2,880,077

-58,419

2,860,007

3,117,558

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

2,996,250

2,986,750

+9,500

2,986,750

3,313,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.3%

2.3%

0.0

2.3%

2.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.2%

2.2%

0.0

2.2%

2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 17

Aug. 10

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,104

1,437

-333

1,293

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,164

2,361

-197

2,613

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 10

Aug. 3

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

2,873,743

2,852,185

+21,558

3,158,440

Federal Employees (UCFE)

21,083

21,208

-125

17,565

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

33,778

33,235

+543

38,940

EUC 20083

1,511,619

1,501,068

+10,551

2,273,317

Extended Benefits4

307

327

-20

5,412

State Additional Benefits 5

3,806

4,077

-271

5,665

STC / Workshare 6

23,238

26,556

-3,318

31,489

TOTAL

4,467,574

4,438,656

+28,918

5,530,828

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 129,827,178 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 paid, 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 AUGUST 17, 2013

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

-1,017

Fewer layoffs in the food service and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

+5,867

Layoffs in the service industry.

MO

+1,757

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
August 29, 2013