News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1593-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 25, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 315,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 319,000. The 4-week moving average was 315,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 313,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Aug. 13, 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. 13 was 2,578,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,587,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,577,750, a decrease of 6,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,584,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 251,171 in the week ending Aug. 20, a decrease of 5,797 from the previous week. There were 274,433 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Aug. 13, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,425,839, a decrease of 11,046 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,692,183.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 6.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,285 in the week ending Aug. 13, a decrease of 159 from the prior week. There were 2,125 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 173 from the preceding week.

There were 17,322 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 6, an increase of 80 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,341, an increase of 611 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 6 were in Puerto Rico (4.9 percent), Alaska (3.0), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (2.9), Michigan (2.7), Oregon (2.7), Rhode Island (2.6), Connecticut (2.5), Massachusetts (2.5), and Arkansas (2.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 13 were in Michigan (+2,675), South Carolina (+1,835), Georgia (+1,639), Oklahoma (+428), and Maine (+65), while the largest decreases were in California (-3,062), Pennsylvania (-2,197), New Jersey (-1,096), Arkansas (-903), and Florida
(-897).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 20 Aug. 13 Change Aug. 6 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 315,000 319,000 -4,000 311,000 342,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 251,171 256,968 -5,797 269,746 274,433
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 315,000 313,750 +1,250 310,250 337,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 13 Aug. 6 Change July 30 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,578,000 2,587,000 -9,000 2,565,000 2,873,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,425,839 2,436,885 -11,046 2,467,095 2,692,183
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,577,750 2,584,000 -6,250 2,580,000 2,889,250
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 1.9% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 13
Aug. 6
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,285 1,444 -159 1,659
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,125 2,298 -173 2,147
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 6
July 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,322 17,242 +80 18,603
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,341 28,730 +611 26,952
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 4 0 +4 1
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 08/13/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -3,062 Fewer layoffs in the service industry, and agriculture.
PA -2,197 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, and fabricated metals industries.
NJ -1,096 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA +1,639 Layoffs in the automobile and transportation equipment industries.
SC +1,835 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI +2,675 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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