News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-492
   
   
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 18, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Sept. 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 399,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 428,000. The 4-week moving average was 410,750, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 408,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending Sept. 6, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 6 was 3,683,000, an increase of 39,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,644,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,642,000, an increase of 13,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,628,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 326,186 in the week ending Sept. 13, an increase of 4,198 from the previous week. There were 337,577 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 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 3,203,912, an increase of 88,421 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,107,849.
 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Aug. 30.

53 states reported that 805,795 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 30.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,281 in the week ending Sept. 6, a decrease of 131 from the prior week. There were 1,709 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 72 from the preceding week.

There were 16,638 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 30, a decrease of 1,230 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 18,099, a decrease of 508 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 30 were in Puerto Rico (4.2 percent), Oregon (3.8), Alaska (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.6), New Jersey (3.5), Washington (3.4), Massachusetts (3.2), California (3.1), Connecticut (3.1), and Rhode Island (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 6 were in Pennsylvania (+3,526), Michigan (+2,992), North Carolina (+2,773), Georgia (+2,471), and Oregon (+1,288), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,916), Kentucky (-2,594), Indiana (-1,024), Delaware (-891), and Arkansas (-696).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 13  Sept. 6 Change Aug. 30  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 399,000 428,000 -29,000 419,000 419,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 326,186 321,988 +4,198 319,108 337,577
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 410,750 408,750 +2,000 402,750 411,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 6 Aug. 30  Change Aug. 23 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,683,000 3,644,000 +39,000 3,607,000 3,576,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,203,912 3,115,491 +88,421 3,253,126 3,107,849
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,642,000 3,628,750 +13,250 3,624,750 3,566,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 2.9% 0.0 2.9% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.6% 2.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 6
Aug. 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,281 1,412 -131 1,255
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,709 1,781 -72 1,319
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 30
Aug. 23
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,638 17,868 -1,230 16,691
Newly Discharged Veterans 18,099 18,607 -508 15,364
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 25,211 24,821 +390 2,661
Federal (TEUC) 3 805,795 836,950 -31,155 1,072,096
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 09/06/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -4,916 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
KY -2,594 No comment.
IN -1,024 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
IL +1,197 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
OR +1,288 No comment.
GA +2,471 Layoffs in the textile, transportation , and primary metals industries.
NC +2,773 Layoffs in the textile industry.
MI +2,992 No comment.
PA +3,526 Layoffs in the construction, primary metals, industrial machinery, transportation equipment, and manufacturing industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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