News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-1449-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 27, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 298,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 313,000. The 4-week moving average was 311,500, a decrease of 9,750 from the previous week's revised average of 321,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Sept. 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 15 was 2,551,000, an increase of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,540,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,570,000, a decrease of 5,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,575,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 246,181 in the week ending Sept. 22, a decrease of 15,741 from the previous week. There were 261,396 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.6 percent during the week ending Sept. 15, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,165,425, a decrease of 77,259 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.6 percent and the volume was 2,062,962.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,033 in the week ending Sept. 15, an increase of 107 from the prior week. There were 1,988 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 342 from the preceding week.

There were 13,615 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 8, a decrease of 414 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,073, an increase of 664 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 8 were in Puerto Rico (3.4 percent), New Jersey (2.8), Michigan (2.5), Pennsylvania (2.5), Arkansas (2.4), Alaska (2.3), California (2.3), Rhode Island (2.3), Massachusetts (2.2), and Oregon (2.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 15 were in California (+5,370), Florida (+3,510), South Carolina (+2,180), Georgia (+1,608), and Indiana (+1,529), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-2,711), Wisconsin (-950), Ohio (-702), Arkansas(-537), and Kansas (-328).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 22 Sept. 15 Change Sept. 8 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 298,000 313,000 -15,000 320,000 316,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 246,181 261,922 -15,741 245,526 261,396
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 311,500 321,250 -9,750 324,250 316,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 15 Sept. 8 Change Sept. 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,551,000 2,540,000 +11,000 2,597,000 2,438,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,165,425 2,242,684 -77,259 2,236,358 2,062,962
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,570,000 2,575,500 -5,500 2,582,000 2,459,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 2.0% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.6% 1.7% -0.1 1.7% 1.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 15
Sept. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,033 926 +107 1,061
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,988 1,646 +342 1,956
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 8
Sept. 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,615 14,029 -414 14,418
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,073 21,409 +664 25,374
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 5 0 +5 8
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 132,170,980 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/15/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -2,711 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NJ +1,060 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NC +1,211 Layoffs in the textile and transportation equipment industries.
IN +1,529 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
GA +1,608 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
SC +2,180 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL +3,510 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
CA +5,370 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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