News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1705-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 : September 15, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 398,000, an increase of 71,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 327,000. The 4-week moving average was 340,750, an increase of 19,750 from the previous week's revised average of 321,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Sept. 3, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 3 was 2,590,000, an increase of 20,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,570,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,582,250, an increase of 750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,581,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 302,407 in the week ending Sept. 10, an increase of 31,031 from the previous week. There were 250,568 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.7 percent during the week ending Sept. 3, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,227,211, a decrease of 96,469 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,455,140.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 27.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,095 in the week ending Sept. 3, an increase of 29 from the prior week. There were 2,164 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 45 from the preceding week.

There were 16,999 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 27, a decrease of 350 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,109, a decrease of 307 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 27 were in Puerto Rico (4.6 percent), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (2.9), Alaska (2.8), Michigan (2.6), Rhode Island (2.6), Connecticut (2.5), Oregon (2.5), Massachusetts (2.4), and New York (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 3 were in Texas (+5,613), Louisiana (+5,435), Alabama (+2,412), Pennsylvania (+2,276), and Puerto Rico (+1,711), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-2,761), New York (-1,981), Kentucky (-1,916), Mississippi (-652), and Kansas (-523).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 10 Sept. 3 Change Aug. 27 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 398,000 327,000 +71,000 322,000 333,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 302,407 271,376 +31,031 251,642 250,568
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 340,750 321,000 +19,750 317,000 338,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 3 Aug. 27 Change Aug. 20 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,590,000 2,570,000 +20,000 2,598,000 2,855,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,227,211 2,323,680 -96,469 2,379,439 2,455,140
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,582,250 2,581,500 +750 2,580,250 2,864,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.7% 1.8% -0.1 1.9% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 3
Aug. 27
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,095 1,066 +29 1,146
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,164 2,209 -45 2,185
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 27
Aug. 20
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,999 17,349 -350 16,156
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,109 29,416 -307 26,282
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 1 2 -1 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 09/03/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -2,761 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NY -1,981 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
KY -1,916 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA +1,587 Layoffs in the textile industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related (evacuees filing claims in Georgia).
PR +1,711 No comment.
PA +2,276 Layoffs in the leather goods, electrical equipment, and service industries.
AL +2,412 Layoffs in the trade and service industries. Most claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
LA +5,435 No comment.
TX +5,613 Layoffs in the public administration, finance, and manufacturing industries. Most claims were Hurricane Katrina related (evacuees filing claims in Texas).

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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