News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-416
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 August 7, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Aug. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 390,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 393,000. The 4-week moving average was 397,250, a decrease of 12,750 from the previous week's revised average of 410,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending July 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 26 was 3,691,000, an increase of 72,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,619,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,633,750, a decrease of 22,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,656,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 328,089 in the week ending Aug. 2, a decrease of 20,699 from the previous week. There were 326,356 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending July 26, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,539,337, a decrease of 4,147 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,361,794.
 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending July 19.

53 states reported that 836,793 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending July 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,427 in the week ending July 26, a decrease of 357 from the prior week. There were 1,379 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 10 from the preceding week.

There were 17,983 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 19, an increase of 181 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 16,729, a decrease of 469 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 19 were in Oregon (4.3 percent), Puerto Rico (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.0), Alaska (3.9), California (3.6), Michigan (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), Washington (3.6), Connecticut (3.5), and Massachusetts (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 26 were in Louisiana (+872), Georgia (+535), Wisconsin (+135), Montana (+26), and South Dakota (+6), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina
(-12,749), Michigan (-9,749), Ohio (-6,802), California (-4,788), and Tennessee (-4,330).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 2  July 26 Change July 19  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 390,000 393,000 -3,000 391,000 386,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 328,089 348,788 -20,699 429,017 326,356
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 397,250 410,000 -12,750 420,500 383,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING July 26 July 19  Change July 12 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,691,000 3,619,000 +72,000 3,583,000 3,509,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,539,337 3,543,484 -4,147 3,697,802 3,361,794
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,633,750 3,656,000 -22,250 3,683,250 3,514,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.8% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.9% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 26
July 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,427 1,784 -357 1,405
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,379 1,389 -10 1,309
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 19
July 12
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,983 17,802 +181 16,886
Newly Discharged Veterans 16,729 17,198 -469 14,354
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 13,421 13,673 -252 863
Federal (TEUC) 3 836,793 836,911 -118 1,074,060
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 126,541,290 as denominator.
3 - Prior year level based on the reports of 51 states.


UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 07/26/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -12,749 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment, transportation equipment, lumber/wood, furniture, textile, and apparel industries.
MI -9,749 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and related industries.
OH -6,802 No comment.
CA -4,788 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
TN -4,330 Fewer layoffs in the stone/clay/glass, furniture, electronic equipment, transportation equipment, and textile industries.
IL -4,000 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -3,681 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO -3,580 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
KS -3,251 Fewer layoffs in the real estate and manufacturing industries.
NY -2,836 No comment.
VA -2,773 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
KY -1,966 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AL -1,965 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, primary metals, fabricated metals, and manufacturing industries.
FL -1,924 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
IN -1,840 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA -1,615 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, industrial machinery, transportation equipment, trade, and transportation industries.
PR -1,553 No comment.
NJ -1,479 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
IA -1,382 No comment.
MN -1,133 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
None    


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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