News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.


EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-424
   
   
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 14, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Aug. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 398,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 396,000. The 4-week moving average was 394,250, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 398,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 2 was 3,657,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,663,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,630,250, an increase of 3,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,626,500.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 343,235 in the week ending Aug. 9, an increase of 9,868 from the previous week. There were 332,673 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Aug. 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,444,989, a decrease of 67,918 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,309,272.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending July 26.

53 states reported that 851,421 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending July 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,400 in the week ending Aug. 2, a decrease of 30 from the prior week. There were 1,471 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 92 from the preceding week.

There were 19,008 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 26, an increase of 1,173 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 17,789, an increase of 1,113 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 26 were in Puerto Rico (4.6 percent), Oregon (4.3), Alaska (4.1), Pennsylvania (3.9), Michigan (3.8), California (3.7), New Jersey (3.6), Washington (3.6), Connecticut (3.4), and Massachusetts (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 2 were in North Carolina (+1,983), South Carolina (+1,684), Virginia (+1,300), Pennsylvania (+1,071), and Washington (+838), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-7,476), Georgia (-5,872), Missouri (-3,053), Tennessee (-1,985), and Ohio (-1,708).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 9  Aug. 2 Change July 26  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 398,000 396,000 +2,000 392,000 389,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 343,235 333,367 +9,868 348,046 332,673
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 394,250 398,500 -4,250 409,750 384,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 2 July 26  Change July 19 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,657,000 3,663,000 -6,000 3,618,000 3,524,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,444,989 3,512,907 -67,918 3,541,796 3,309,272
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,630,250 3,626,500 +3,750 3,655,750 3,504,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.9% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.8% -0.1 2.8% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 2
July 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,400 1,430 -30 1,405
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,471 1,379 +92 1,301
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 26
July 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 19,008 17,835 +1,173 18,088
Newly Discharged Veterans 17,789 16,676 +1,113 14,566
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 13,127 13,421 -294 1,259
Federal (TEUC) 3 851,421 836,793 +14,628 1,032,604
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 08/02/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -7,476 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
GA -5,872 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO -3,053 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
TN -1,985 Fewer layoffs in the electronic equipment, transportation equipment, fabricated metals, textile, and manufacturing industries.
OH -1,708 No comment.
LA -1,422 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
PA +1,071 No comment.
VA +1,300 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
SC +1,684 Layoffs in the textile industry.
NC +1,983 Layoffs in the textile and apparel industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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