News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1465-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : August 4, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending July 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 312,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 313,000. The 4-week moving average was 316,750, a decrease of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 319,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending July 23, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 23 was 2,581,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,599,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,592,000, an increase of 2,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,589,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 259,993 in the week ending July 30, a decrease of 37,479 from the previous week. There were 282,128 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending July 23, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,508,678, a decrease of 121,689 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,814,264.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending July 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,502 in the week ending July 23, a decrease of 260 from the prior week. There were 2,041 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 106 from the preceding week.

There were 16,163 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 16, an increase of 602 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,627, an increase of 11 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 16 were in Puerto Rico (4.5 percent), Michigan (4.0), Alaska (3.1), New Jersey (3.1), Pennsylvania (3.1), Oregon (2.8), Rhode Island (2.8), Connecticut (2.6), Arkansas (2.5), Massachusetts (2.5), and Wisconsin (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 23 were in Texas (+2,037), Virginia (+573), Minnesota (+496), and Nevada (+95), while the largest decreases were in New York (-8,570), Michigan (-7,290), Tennessee (-5,721), Missouri (-5,251), and North Carolina (-4,573).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING July 30 July 23 Change July 16 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 312,000 313,000 -1,000 305,000 342,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 259,993 297,472 -37,479 371,477 282,128
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 316,750 319,000 -2,250 318,500 342,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING July 23 July 16 Change July 9 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,581,000 2,599,000 -18,000 2,571,000 2,904,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,508,678 2,630,367 -121,689 2,624,522 2,814,264
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,592,000 2,589,750 +2,250 2,589,250 2,897,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 2.1% 2.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 23
July 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,502 1,762 -260 1,454
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,041 2,147 -106 2,102
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 16
July 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,163 15,561 +602 16,612
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,627 28,616 +11 26,056
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 5
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 127,622,590 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 07/23/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -8,570 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MI -7,290 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
TN -5,721 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, apparel, electrical equipment, and transportation equipment industries.
MO -5,251 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
NC -4,573 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, textile, lumber/wood, electrical equipment, and electronic equipment industries.
KY -4,324 No comment.
AL -4,266 Fewer layoffs in the apparel, wood products, and transportation equipment industries.
WI -4,194 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
OH -3,927 No comment.
GA -3,887 Fewer layoffs in the textile and industrial machinery industries.
SC -3,212 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
CA -3,175 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
PA -3,080 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and fabricated metals industries.
IN -3,051 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ -1,761 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
DE -1,089 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX +2,037 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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