News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-1299-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : September 18, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 455,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 445,000. The 4-week moving average was 445,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 440,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Sept. 6, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 6 was 3,478,000, a decrease of 55,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,533,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,461,000, an increase of 29,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,431,250.  

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 3.031 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 380,170 in the week ending Sept. 13, an increase of 43,436 from the previous week. There were 261,971 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending Sept. 6, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,067,187, an increase of 7,896 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.7 percent and the volume was 2,242,616.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska and Rhode Island during the week ending Aug. 30.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 942 in the week ending Sept. 6, a decrease of 148 from the prior week. There were 1,695 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 61 from the preceding week.

There were 13,402 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 30, a decrease of 47 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,253, a decrease of 446 from the prior week.

States reported 1,387,879 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Aug. 30, an increase of 290,504 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 30 were in Puerto Rico (5.3 percent), Michigan (3.5), New Jersey (3.4), Alaska (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.2), Oregon (3.1), California (3.0), Nevada (3.0), Rhode Island (3.0), and South Carolina (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 6 were in Louisiana (+2,251), Wisconsin (+1,510), North Carolina (+1,234), Kansas (+798), and South Carolina (+698), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-3,255), California (-3,238), New York (-3,238), Ohio (-2,321), and Missouri (-2,163).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 13 Sept. 6 Change Aug. 30 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 455,000 445,000 +10,000 451,000 319,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 380,170 336,734 +43,436 358,730 261,971
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 445,000 440,000 +5,000 439,750 323,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 6 Aug. 30 Change Aug. 23 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,478,000 3,533,000 -55,000 3,404,000 2,554,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,067,187 3,059,291 +7,896 3,097,585 2,242,616
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,461,000 3,431,250 +29,750 3,392,500 2,579,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.5% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 1.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 6
Aug. 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 942 1,090 -148 926
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,695 1,634 +61 1,646
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 30
Aug. 23
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,402 13,449 -47 14,029
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,253 21,699 -446 21,409
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 527 1,548 -1,021 0
EUC 2008 1,387,879 1,097,375 +290,504 0
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 133,690,617 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/06/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX -3,255 Fewer layoffs in the service, information, and manufacturing industries.
CA -3,238 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
NY -3,238 Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
OH -2,321 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
MO -2,163 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL -1,893 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY -1,873 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
FL -1,769 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
CT -1,724 No comment.
IN -1,528 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
TN -1,482 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, transportation equipment, rubber/plastics, trade, and service industries.
PR -1,336 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC +1,234 Layoffs in the construction, furniture, and transportation industries.
WI +1,510 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
LA +2,251 No comment. Value estimated by state.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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