News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1557-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 18, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 316,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 310,000. The 4-week moving average was 312,750, an increase of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 310,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Aug. 6, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 6 was 2,593,000, an increase of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,565,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,585,500, an increase of 5,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,580,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 255,037 in the week ending Aug. 13, a decrease of 14,466 from the previous week. There were 262,936 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Aug. 6, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,442,962, a decrease of 24,166 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,732,802.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending July 30.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,443 in the week ending Aug. 6, a decrease of 227 from the prior week. There were 2,296 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 309 from the preceding week.

There were 17,238 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 30, an increase of 657 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,728, a decrease of 1,228 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 30 were in Puerto Rico (6.0 percent), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (3.0), Alaska (2.9), Michigan (2.9), Oregon (2.7), Rhode Island (2.7), Massachusetts (2.6), Connecticut (2.5), and Arkansas (2.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 6 were in Puerto Rico (+3,144), New Jersey (+1,784), Pennsylvania (+1,774), California (+1,608), and Iowa (+1,288), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-5,691), Virginia (-1,643), Ohio (-1,243), Alabama (-868), and Tennessee (-752).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 13 Aug. 6 Change July 30 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 316,000 310,000 +6,000 315,000 333,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 255,037 269,503 -14,466 261,894 262,936
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 312,750 310,000 +2,750 316,750 337,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 6 July 30 Change July 23 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,593,000 2,565,000 +28,000 2,581,000 2,904,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,442,962 2,467,128 -24,166 2,508,864 2,732,802
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,585,500 2,580,000 +5,500 2,593,000 2,903,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 2.0% 2.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 6
July 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,443 1,670 -227 1,417
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,296 1,987 +309 2,329
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 30
July 23
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,238 16,581 +657 17,161
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,728 29,956 -1,228 26,222
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 9
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.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/06/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -5,691 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
VA -1,643 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH -1,243 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL +1,111 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI +1,184 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
IA +1,288 No comment.
CA +1,608 Layoffs in the finance, insurance, and real estate industries.
PA +1,774 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
NJ +1,784 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
PR +3,144 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and  https://oui.doleta.gov/