News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1814-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 29, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 356,000, a decrease of 79,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 435,000. The 4-week moving average was 385,500, an increase of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average of 377,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Sept. 17, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 17 was 2,802,000, an increase of 144,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,658,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,652,000, an increase of 51,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,601,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 283,016 in the week ending Sept. 24, a decrease of 62,823 from the previous week. There were 282,729 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Sept. 17, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,362,099, an increase of 50,043 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,397,828.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 10.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,357 in the week ending Sept. 17, a decrease of 237 from the prior week. There were 2,149 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 232 from the preceding week.

There were 16,077 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 10, an increase of 816 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,822, an increase of 1,053 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 10 were in Puerto Rico (5.3 percent), Louisiana (4.5), Alaska (2.8), New Jersey (2.7), Pennsylvania (2.6), Michigan (2.5), Oregon (2.4), Mississippi (2.3), Arkansas (2.2), Massachusetts (2.2), California (2.1), Connecticut (2.1), and South Carolina (2.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 17 were in Louisiana (+15,568), Mississippi (+10,711), California (+5,840), Florida (+2,451), and South Carolina (+1,610), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-11,442), Georgia (-2,806), Kentucky (-2,620), Alabama (-2,015), and Tennessee (-1,250).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 24 Sept. 17 Change Sept. 10 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 356,000 435,000 -79,000 424,000 356,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 283,016 345,839 -62,823 322,325 282,729
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 385,500 377,000 +8,500 347,250 341,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 17 Sept. 10 Change Sept. 3 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,802,000 2,658,000 +144,000 2,578,000 2,851,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,362,099 2,312,056 +50,043 2,216,706 2,397,828
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,652,000 2,601,000 +51,000 2,579,250 2,860,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.1% +0.1 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 1.8% +0.1 1.7% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 17
Sept. 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,357 1,594 -237 1,469
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,149 1,917 +232 2,309
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 10
Sept. 3
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,077 15,261 +816 15,953
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,822 27,769 +1,053 26,320
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 1 -1 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 09/17/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX -11,442 Fewer layoffs in the finance and manufacturing industries. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
GA -2,806 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
KY -2,620 No comment. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
AL -2,015 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
TN -1,250 Fewer layoffs in the textile, insurance, and primary metals industries. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WA +1,060 No comment. Most claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
IL +1,221 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
NJ +1,302 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
SC +1,610 Layoffs in the textile industry. An unspecified number of claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
FL +2,451 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture. Most claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
CA +5,840 Layoffs in the service industry. Most claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
MS +10,711 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. Most claims were Hurricane Katrina related.
LA +15,568 All claims were Hurricane Katrina related.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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