News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1589-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : August 19, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 331,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 334,000. The 4-week moving average was 337,000, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 339,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Aug. 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 7 was 2,904,000, an increase of 16,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,888,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,910,000, an increase of 28,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,881,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 266,235 in the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 25,039 from the previous week. There were 312,087 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending Aug. 7, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,726,472, a decrease of 37,037 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,379,961.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending July 31.

4,257 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending July 31.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,414 in the week ending Aug. 7, a decrease of 485 from the prior week. There were 2,322 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 239 from the preceding week.

There were 17,130 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 31, a decrease of 467 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,170, an increase of 138 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 31 were in Puerto Rico (5.4 percent), Alaska (3.3), New Jersey (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.2), Oregon (3.0), Michigan (2.9), Rhode Island (2.9), Massachusetts (2.8), California (2.7), and Connecticut (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 7 were in Pennsylvania (+2,604), North Carolina (+1,929), California (+1,871), Texas (+1,666), and Puerto Rico (+1,595), while the largest decreases were in Ohio (-3,910), Michigan (-3,030), Missouri (-1,883), Tennessee (-930), and Alabama (-410).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 14  Aug. 7 Change July 31 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 331,000 334,000 -3,000 337,000 396,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 266,235 291,274 -25,039 282,128 312,087
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 337,000 339,500 -2,500 343,500 397,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 7 July 31  Change July 24 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,904,000 2,888,000 +16,000 2,901,000 3,600,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,726,472 2,763,509 -37,037 2,814,264 3,379,961
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,910,000 2,881,250 +28,750 2,897,750 3,602,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 7
July 31
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,414 1,899 -485 1,331
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,322 2,083 +239 1,617
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 31
July 24
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,130 17,597 -467 18,368
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,170 26,032 +138 17,098
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 9 0 +9 13,352
Federal (TEUC) 4,257 4,919 -662 833,469
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 126,088,081 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/07/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OH -3,910 No comment.
MI -3,030 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
MO -1,883 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NJ +1,079 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
IL +1,124 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,254 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL +1,378 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
PR +1,595 No comment.
TX +1,666 Layoffs in the information, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA +1,871 Layoffs in the service industry.
NC +1,929 Layoffs in the construction, service, and rubber/plastics industries.
PA +2,604 Layoffs in the finance, insurance, service, and transportation industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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