News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-451
   
   
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 28, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Aug. 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 394,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 391,000. The 4-week moving average was 396,250, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average of 395,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 16, 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. 16 was 3,657,000, an increase of 26,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,631,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,643,500, an increase of 9,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,633,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 310,203 in the week ending Aug. 23, a decrease of 1,570 from the previous week. There were 314,852 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Aug. 16, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,364,195, a decrease of 16,478 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,258,658.
 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Aug. 9.

53 states reported that 833,771 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,224 in the week ending Aug. 16, a decrease of 107 from the prior week. There were 1,662 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 45 from the preceding week.

There were 18,748 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 9, an increase of 380 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 17,963, an increase of 865 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 9 were in Puerto Rico (5.3 percent), Oregon (4.1), Alaska (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.8), Washington (3.6), California (3.5), New Jersey (3.5), Connecticut (3.4), Massachusetts (3.3), and Michigan (3.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 16 were in Georgia (+1,463), Delaware (+389), Virginia (+372), Oklahoma (+252), and Florida (+134), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,800), Michigan (-6,375), Ohio (-2,258), Indiana (-2,087), and Pennsylvania (-1,689).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 23  Aug. 16 Change Aug. 9  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 394,000 391,000 +3,000 404,000 402,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 310,203 311,773 -1,570 347,952 314,852
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 396,250 395,750 +500 395,750 393,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 16 Aug. 9  Change Aug. 2 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,657,000 3,631,000 +26,000 3,628,000 3,557,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,364,195 3,380,673 -16,478 3,417,741 3,258,658
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,643,500 3,633,750 +9,750 3,621,750 3,526,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.9% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.7% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 16
Aug. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,224 1,331 -107 1,248
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,662 1,617 +45 1,433
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 9
Aug. 2
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,748 18,368 +380 18,224
Newly Discharged Veterans 17,963 17,098 +865 14,957
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 24,082 13,352 +10,730 1,754
Federal (TEUC) 3 833,771 833,469 +302 1,095,393
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 52 states.


UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/16/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -8,800 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
MI -6,375 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
OH -2,258 No comment.
IN -2,087 No comment.
PA -1,689 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, industrial machinery, service, and manufacturing industries.
MA -1,638 No comment.
IL -1,438 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NJ -1,253 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI -1,160 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WA -1,153 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
GA +1,463 Layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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