News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1503-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 31, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 316,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 318,000. The 4-week moving average was 317,500, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 316,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 19, 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. 19 was 2,486,000, an increase of 3,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,483,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,485,750, an increase of 13,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,472,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 249,492 in the week ending Aug. 26, a decrease of 2,778 from the previous week. There were 251,642 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent during the week ending Aug. 19, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,277,619, a decrease of 48,767 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,379,439.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 12.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,005 in the week ending Aug. 19, a decrease of 227 from the prior week. There were 1,980 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 270 from the preceding week.

There were 15,270 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 12, an increase of 125 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,896, an increase of 40 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 12 were in Puerto Rico (3.9 percent), Michigan (3.0), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (2.9), Alaska (2.8), Rhode Island (2.6), Arkansas (2.5), Connecticut (2.5), Massachusetts (2.4), Oregon (2.2), and Wisconsin (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 19 were in Ohio (+2,484), Virginia (+1,599), Michigan (+1,022), New Jersey (+680), and Indiana (+674), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-2,205), Wisconsin (-1,185), Arkansas (-994), Georgia (-916), and New York (-788).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 26 Aug. 19 Change Aug. 12 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 316,000 318,000 -2,000 314,000 320,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 249,492 252,270 -2,778 256,259 251,642
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 317,500 316,500 +1,000 311,750 317,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 19 Aug. 12 Change Aug. 5 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,486,000 2,483,000 +3,000 2,501,000 2,606,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,277,619 2,326,386 -48,767 2,348,543 2,379,439
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,485,750 2,472,250 +13,500 2,467,750 2,592,250
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. 19
Aug. 12
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,005 1,232 -227 1,396
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,980 2,250 -270 2,176
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 12
Aug. 5
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,270 15,145 +125 17,457
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,896 25,856 +40 29,363
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 30 9 +21 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 08/19/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -2,205 Fewer layoffs in the textile, lumber/wood, and furniture industries.
WI -1,185 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI +1,022 No comment.
VA +1,599 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH +2,484 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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