News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1496-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 11, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 308,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 314,000. The 4-week moving average was 309,250, a decrease of 7,250 from the previous week's revised average of 316,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending July 30, 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 30 was 2,573,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the preceding week's unrevised level of 2,581,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,582,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,593,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 267,461 in the week ending Aug. 6, an increase of 5,819 from the previous week. There were 291,611 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending July 30, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,475,224, a decrease of 33,668 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,755,373.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending July 23.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,670 in the week ending July 30, an increase of 151 from the prior week. There were 1,984 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 61 from the preceding week.

There were 16,569 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 23, an increase of 424 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,951, an increase of 1,378 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 23 were in Michigan (3.3 percent), Alaska (3.2), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (3.0), Rhode Island (2.8), Oregon (2.7), Arkansas (2.5), Connecticut (2.5), Massachusetts (2.4), California (2.3), New York (2.3), and Wisconsin (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 30 were in Washington (+428), Arkansas (+350), Maine (+186), Idaho (+158), and New Mexico (+55), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-6,263), Tennessee (-2,737), Georgia (-2,643), Puerto Rico (-1,751), and Missouri (-1,749).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 6 July 30 Change July 23 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 308,000 314,000 -6,000 310,000 333,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 267,461 261,642 +5,819 295,013 291,611
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 309,250 316,500 -7,250 318,250 339,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING July 30 July 23 Change July 16 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,573,000 2,581,000 -8,000 2,603,000 2,876,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,475,224 2,508,892 -33,668 2,634,727 2,755,373
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,582,000 2,593,000 -11,000 2,590,750 2,884,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 2.1% 2.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 30
July 23
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,670 1,519 +151 1,899
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,984 2,045 -61 2,083
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 23
July 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,569 16,145 +424 17,597
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,951 28,573 +1,378 26,032
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 0
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 07/30/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -6,263 Fewer layoffs in the lumber/wood, rubber/plastics, textile, apparel, furniture, fabricated metals, and service industries.
TN -2,737 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, chemical, primary metals, apparel, and service industries.
GA -2,643 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
PR -1,751 No comment.
MO -1,749 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and furniture industries.
OH -1,668 No comment.
KY -1,602 No comment.
SC -1,406 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
IL -1,405 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL -1,347 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
MN -1,266 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI -1,199 No comment.
TX -1,146 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
AL -1,118 Fewer layoffs in the service and primary metals 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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