News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1729-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : September 2, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Aug. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 362,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 343,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,000, an increase of 6,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 336,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Aug. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 21 was 2,882,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,887,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,887,250, a decrease of 4,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,892,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 276,601 in the week ending Aug. 28, an increase of 3,805 from the previous week. There were 319,362 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Aug. 21, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,631,147, a decrease of 70,724 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,252,130.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 14.

3,180 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Aug. 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,161 in the week ending Aug. 21, a decrease of 511 from the prior week. There were 2,156 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 12 from the preceding week.

There were 17,507 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 1,018 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,777, an increase of 6 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 14 were in Puerto Rico (4.9 percent), Alaska (3.3), New Jersey (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.2), Oregon (2.9), Rhode Island (2.9), Massachusetts (2.8), Connecticut (2.7), Michigan (2.7), and California (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 21 were in Missouri (+3,202), Georgia (+2,194), Florida (+1,820), Texas (+1,095), and Indiana (+873), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-1,116), Virginia (-1,043), South Carolina (-735), Alabama (-611), and Wisconsin
(-488).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 28  Aug. 21 Change Aug. 14 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 362,000 343,000 +19,000 333,000 414,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 276,601 272,796 +3,805 267,971 319,362
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 343,000 336,750 +6,250 337,500 400,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 21 Aug. 14  Change Aug. 7 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,882,000 2,887,000 -5,000 2,892,000 3,574,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,631,147 2,701,871 -70,724 2,715,733 3,252,130
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,887,250 2,892,000 -4,750 2,907,000 3,590,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.2% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 21
Aug. 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,161 1,672 -511 1,213
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,156 2,168 -12 1,745
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 14
Aug. 7
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,507 18,525 -1,018 17,798
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,777 26,771 +6 17,822
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 1 -1 24,734
Federal (TEUC) 3,180 3,437 -257 827,062
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 08/21/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -1,116 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, furniture, and scientific instruments industries.
VA -1,043 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX +1,095 Layoffs in the transportation, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
FL +1,820 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. There were 2,645 claims filed as a result of Hurricane Charley.
GA +2,194 Layoffs in the automobile and transportation equipment industries.
MO +3,202 Layoffs in the transportation industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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