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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending September 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 292,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 323,000. The 4-week moving average was 321,250, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 328,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending August 31, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 31 was 2,871,000, a decrease of 73,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,944,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,953,000, a decrease of 24,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,977,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 228,399 in the week ending September 7, a decrease of 40,250 from the previous week. There were 299,729 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending August 31, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,569,200, a decrease of 174,830 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,744,030. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,930,825.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 24 was 4,272,741, a decrease of 122,971 from the previous week. There were 5,391,420 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 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,442 in the week ending August 31, an increase of 193 from the prior week. There were 2,188 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 115 from the preceding week.

There were 19,952 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending August 24, a decrease of 879 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,285, a decrease of 469 from the prior week.

States reported 1,454,824 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending August 24, a decrease of 39,918 from the prior week. There were 2,223,071 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 31 were in Puerto Rico (4.3), New Jersey (3.6), Connecticut (3.4), Alaska (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.1), New Mexico (3.0), California (2.9), Rhode Island (2.9), Virgin Islands (2.9), and New York (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 31 were in Oregon (+1,085), Pennsylvania (+725), Nebraska (+609), New Jersey (+537), and Kansas (+394), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,988), Nevada (-2,125), New York (-1,259), Georgia (-1,221), and Florida (-884).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Sept. 7

Aug. 31

Change

Aug. 24

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

292,000

323,000

-31,000

333,000

381,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

228,399

268,649

-40,250

279,024

299,729

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

321,250

328,750

-7,500

331,750

374,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance Aug. 31

Aug. 24

Change

Aug. 17

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

2,871,000

2,944,000

-73,000

2,994,000

3,293,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

2,569,200

2,744,030

-174,830

2,826,748

2,930,825

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

2,953,000

2,977,750

-24,750

2,997,500

3,307,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.2%

2.3%

-0.1

2.3%

2.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.0%

2.1%

-0.1

2.2%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 31

Aug. 24

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,442

1,249

+193

1,221

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,188

2,303

-115

2,540

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 24

Aug. 17

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

2,736,806

2,821,674

-84,868

3,078,000

Federal Employees (UCFE)

19,952

20,831

-879

17,433

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

33,285

33,754

-469

38,401

EUC 20083

1,454,824

1,494,742

-39,918

2,223,071

Extended Benefits4

271

239

+32

2,597

State Additional Benefits 5

3,780

3,923

-143

5,452

STC / Workshare 6

23,823

20,549

+3,274

26,466

TOTAL

4,272,741

4,395,712

-122,971

5,391,420

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 31, 2013

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-4,988

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

NV

-2,125

No comment.

NY

-1,259

Fewer layoffs in the educational service, food service, and manufacturing industries.

GA

-1,085

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

OR

+1,.085

No comment.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
September 12, 2013