News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1756-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 : September 9, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 319,000, a decrease of 44,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 363,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,250, a decrease of 3,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 343,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Aug. 28, 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. 28 was 2,898,000, an increase of 20,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,878,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,888,750, an increase of 2,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,886,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 274,686 in the week ending Sept. 4, a decrease of 2,969 from the previous week. There were 322,501 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Aug. 28, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,605,340, a decrease of 22,093 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,120,553.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 21.

2,915 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,170 in the week ending Aug. 28, an increase of 9 from the prior week. There were 2,129 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 28 from the preceding week.

There were 18,303 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 21, an increase of 794 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,065, a decrease of 713 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 21 were in Puerto Rico (4.4 percent), Alaska (3.3), New Jersey (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.1), Oregon (2.9), Rhode Island (2.9), Connecticut (2.7), Massachusetts (2.7), California (2.6), and Michigan (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 28 were in Florida (+5,574), Michigan (+3,388), New York (+2,987), Virginia (+1,059), and Illinois (+866), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-2,578), Missouri (-2,413), California (-2,066), South Carolina (-523), and Pennsylvania
(-456).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 4  Aug. 28 Change Aug. 21 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 319,000 363,000 -44,000 342,000 413,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 274,686 277,655 -2,969 272,064 322,501
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 339,250 343,000 -3,750 336,500 404,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 28 Aug. 21  Change Aug. 14 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,898,000 2,878,000 +20,000 2,887,000 3,608,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,605,340 2,627,433 -22,093 2,701,842 3,120,553
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,888,750 2,886,250 +2,500 2,892,000 3,594,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 28
Aug. 21
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,170 1,161 +9 1,412
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,129 2,157 -28 1,781
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 21
Aug. 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,303 17,509 +794 17,868
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,065 26,778 -713 18,607
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 24,821
Federal (TEUC) 2,915 3,180 -265 836,950
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 08/28/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA -2,578 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and transportation equipment industries.
MO -2,413 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
CA -2,066 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
VA +1,059 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY +2,987 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
MI +3,388 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
FL +5,574 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. There were 4,600 claims filed as a result of Hurricane Charley.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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