News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1812-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 16, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 333,000, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 317,000. The 4-week moving average was 338,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised average of 338,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Sept. 4, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 4 was 2,882,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,885,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,883,000, a decrease of 2,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,885,500.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 248,606 in the week ending Sept. 11, a decrease of 24,749 from the previous week. There were 328,414 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending Sept. 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,469,591, a decrease of 124,024 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,173,450.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 28.

2,398 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 28.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,144 in the week ending Sept. 4, a decrease of 29 from the prior week. There were 2,209 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 76 from the preceding week.

There were 16,297 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 28, a decrease of 2,006 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,623, an increase of 557 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 28 were in Puerto Rico (3.8 percent), Alaska (3.3), New Jersey (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.1), Oregon (2.8), Rhode Island (2.8), Massachusetts (2.7), Connecticut (2.6), California (2.5), and Michigan (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 4 were in California (+2,828), Texas (+1,662), Pennsylvania (+1,290), Wisconsin (+1,001), and South Carolina (+687), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-4,005), Michigan (-2,169), New York (-2,085), Virginia (-778), and Illinois (-527).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 11 Sept. 4 Change Aug. 28 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 333,000 317,000 +16,000 360,000 401,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 248,606 273,355 -24,749 275,175 328,414
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 338,000 338,000 0 342,250 405,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 4 Aug. 28  Change Aug. 21 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,882,000 2,885,000 -3,000 2,878,000 3,594,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,469,591 2,593,615 -124,024 2,627,392 3,173,450
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,883,000 2,885,500 -2,500 2,886,250 3,592,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 2.1% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 4
Aug. 28
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,144 1,173 -29 1,283
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,209 2,133 +76 1,709
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 28
Aug. 21
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,297 18,303 -2,006 16,467
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,623 26,066 +557 18,088
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 25,215
Federal (TEUC) 2,398 2,915 -517 805,795
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 09/04/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL -4,005 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. There were 1,716 claims filed as a result of Hurricane Charley.
MI -2,169 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NY -2,085 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WI +1,001 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
PA +1,290 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
TX +1,662 Layoffs in the finance, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA +2,828 Layoffs in the service industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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