News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1435-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 17, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 312,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 322,000. The 4-week moving average was 311,250, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 309,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 5, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 5 was 2,507,000, an increase of 34,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,473,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,469,250, an increase of 2,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,467,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 255,031 in the week ending Aug. 12, a decrease of 20,347 from the previous week. There were 257,151 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent during the week ending Aug. 5, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,354,247, a decrease of 12,595 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,436,846.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending July 29.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,149 in the week ending Aug. 5, a decrease of 109 from the prior week. There were 2,250 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 199 from the preceding week.

There were 15,295 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 29, an increase of 433 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,005, a decrease of 33 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 29 were in Puerto Rico (4.4 percent), Michigan (3.2), New Jersey (2.9), Pennsylvania (2.9), Alaska (2.8), Rhode Island (2.7), Connecticut (2.5), Arkansas (2.4), Massachusetts (2.4), Oregon (2.2), South Carolina (2.2), and Wisconsin (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 5 were in Puerto Rico (+4,556), Kentucky (+3,046), North Carolina (+2,053), Pennsylvania (+1,963), and Ohio (+1,720), while the largest decreases were in Missouri (-2,634), Virginia (-1,449), California (-1,042), Tennessee (-947), and Alabama (-765).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 12 Aug. 5 Change July 29 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 312,000 322,000 -10,000 312,000 320,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 255,031 275,378 -20,347 259,673 257,151
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 311,250 309,500 +1,750 312,500 316,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 5 July 29 Change July 22 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,507,000 2,473,000 +34,000 2,432,000 2,598,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,354,247 2,366,842 -12,595 2,358,926 2,436,846
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,469,250 2,467,000 +2,250 2,453,750 2,596,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.8% 1.8% 0.0 1.8% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 5
July 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,149 1,258 -109 1,444
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,250 2,051 +199 2,298
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 29
July 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,295 14,862 +433 17,242
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,005 26,038 -33 28,730
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 55 45 +10 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 129,945,159 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/05/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO -2,634 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and furniture industries.
VA -1,449 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CA -1,042 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WA +1,300 No comment.
NJ +1,429 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
IN +1,482 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH +1,720 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA +1,963 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and fabricated metals industries.
NC +2,053 Layoffs in the construction, primary metals, and furniture industries.
KY +3,046 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PR +4,556 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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