News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1673-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 26, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 343,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 333,000. The 4-week moving average was 336,750, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 337,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Aug. 14, 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. 14 was 2,897,000, an increase of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,892,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,894,500, a decrease of 12,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,907,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 272,894 in the week ending Aug. 21, an increase of 5,131 from the previous week. There were 313,058 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending Aug. 14, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,711,253, a decrease of 4,559 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,343,255.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 7.

3,437 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,671 in the week ending Aug. 14, an increase of 254 from the prior week. There were 2,162 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 167 from the preceding week.

There were 18,519 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 7, an increase of 1,346 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,772, an increase of 552 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 7 were in Puerto Rico (4.6 percent), Alaska (3.4), New Jersey (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.2), Oregon (3.0), Rhode Island (2.9), Massachusetts (2.8), California (2.7), Connecticut (2.7), Michigan (2.7), Arkansas (2.5), and Washington (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 14 were in South Carolina (+970), Virginia (+510), Maine (+69), Nebraska (+63), and Idaho (+42), while the largest decreases were in California (-3,543), Pennsylvania (-2,361), Texas (-2,153), Michigan (-1,726), and Wisconsin (-1,159).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 21  Aug. 14 Change Aug. 7 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 343,000 333,000 +10,000 334,000 393,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 272,894 267,763 +5,131 291,501 313,058
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 336,750 337,500 -750 339,500 396,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 14 Aug. 7  Change July 31 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,897,000 2,892,000 +5,000 2,888,000 3,595,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,711,253 2,715,812 -4,559 2,763,437 3,343,255
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,894,500 2,907,000 -12,500 2,881,250 3,602,500
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% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 14
Aug. 7
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,671 1,417 +254 1,230
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,162 2,329 -167 1,664
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 7
July 31
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,519 17,173 +1,346 18,604
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,772 26,220 +552 17,942
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 3 9 -6 24,082
Federal (TEUC) 3,437 4,257 -820 833,771
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 08/14/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -3,543 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
PA -2,361 Fewer layoffs in the food, fabricated metals, trade, and real estate industries.
TX -2,153 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
MI -1,726 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WI -1,159 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
NC -1,094 Fewer layoffs in the construction, furniture, and rubber/plastics industries.
IL -1,060 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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