News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-460
   
   
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 September 4, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Aug. 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 413,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 398,000. The 4-week moving average was 401,500, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 397,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 23, 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. 23 was 3,663,000, an increase of 24,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,639,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,640,000, an increase of 1,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,638,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 314,604 in the week ending Aug. 30, an increase of 1,338 from the previous week. There were 310,864 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending Aug. 23, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,304,228, a decrease of 44,030 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,193,748.
 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Aug. 16.

53 states reported that 827,062 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,211 in the week ending Aug. 23, a decrease of 19 from the prior week. There were 1,742 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 78 from the preceding week.

There were 17,960 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 16, a decrease of 644 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 17,868, a decrease of 74 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 16 were in Puerto Rico (5.8 percent), Oregon (4.0), Alaska (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), California (3.5), New Jersey (3.5), Washington (3.5), Connecticut (3.4), Massachusetts (3.4), and Rhode Island (3.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 23 were in California (+4,857), Michigan (+2,534), Ohio (+1,197), Texas (+1,042), and New York (+863), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-2,941), North Carolina (-2,324), Tennessee (-1,054), Delaware (-929), and Virginia (-568).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 30  Aug. 23 Change Aug. 16  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 413,000 398,000 +15,000 391,000 405,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 314,604 313,266 +1,338 311,841 310,864
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 401,500 397,250 +4,250 395,750 398,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 23 Aug. 16  Change Aug. 9 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,663,000 3,639,000 +24,000 3,630,000 3,545,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,304,228 3,348,258 -44,030 3,379,961 3,193,748
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,640,000 3,638,750 +1,250 3,633,500 3,535,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.9% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.7% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 23
Aug. 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,211 1,230 -19 1,391
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,742 1,664 +78 1,418
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 16
Aug. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,960 18,604 -644 22,396
Newly Discharged Veterans 17,868 17,942 -74 15,307
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 24,734 24,082 +652 2,095
Federal (TEUC) 3 827,062 833,771 -6,709 1,026,032
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 53 states.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/23/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA -2,941 Fewer layoffs in the textile and mobile homes industries.
NC -2,324 No comment.
TN -1,054 Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, trade, paper, and lumber/wood industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
TX +1,042 Layoffs in the food, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
OH +1,197 No comment.
MI +2,534 No comment.
CA +4,857 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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