News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1482-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 August 5, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending July 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 336,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 347,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,500, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 336,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending July 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 24 was 2,911,000, a decrease of 35,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,946,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,900,000, an increase of 13,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,887,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 280,886 in the week ending July 31, a decrease of 35,961 from the previous week. There were 333,770 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending July 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,823,796, a decrease of 113,271 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,508,332.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending July 17.

5,105 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending July 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,446 in the week ending July 24, a decrease of 542 from the prior week. There were 2,099 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 221 from the preceding week.

There were 16,608 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 17, a decrease of 328 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,043, an increase of 300 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 17 were in Michigan (4.3 percent), Puerto Rico (4.2), Alaska (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.4), New Jersey (3.3), Oregon (3.1), Rhode Island (3.1), Massachusetts (2.9), Connecticut (2.8), Arkansas (2.7), and California (2.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 24 were in Delaware (+746), Nevada (+199), Colorado (+88), New Mexico (+85), and Vermont (+54), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-9,003), North Carolina (-7,928), Indiana (-7,665), New York (-5,855), and Missouri
(-5,326).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING July 31  July 24 Change July 17 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 336,000 347,000 -11,000 341,000 399,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 280,886 316,847 -35,961 394,372 333,770
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 343,500 336,750 +6,750 337,250 399,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING July 24 July 17  Change July 10 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,911,000 2,946,000 -35,000 2,789,000 3,621,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,823,796 2,937,067 -113,271 2,894,749 3,508,332
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,900,000 2,887,000 +13,000 2,889,750 3,599,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.2% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.3% -0.1 2.3% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 24
July 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,446 1,988 -542 1,430
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,099 2,320 -221 1,379
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
July 17
July 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,608 16,936 -328 17,835
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,043 25,743 +300 16,676
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 5 2 +3 13,421
Federal (TEUC) 5,105 6,217 -1,112 836,793
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 126,088,081 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 07/24/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -9,003 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NC -7,928 Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, and lumber/wood industries.
IN -7,665 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY -5,855 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MO -5,326 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
TN -4,846 Fewer layoffs in the electronic equipment, transportation equipment, primary metals, fabricated metals, and furniture industries.
AL -3,457 Fewer layoffs in the apparel and wood products industries.
SC -3,404 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CA -2,767 Fewer layoffs in the service industry, and agriculture.
IL -2,267 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MS -2,187 No comment.
PA -2,100 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
VA -2,074 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH -2,026 No comment.
WI -1,868 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service , and manufacturing industries.
FL -1,755 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
NJ -1,359 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OR -1,216 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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