News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1932-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 30, 2004
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 369,000, an increase of 18,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 351,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,500, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 341,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending Sept. 18, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 18 was 2,873,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,876,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,875,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,876,500.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 280,863 in the week ending Sept. 25, an increase of 5,193 from the previous week. There were 304,968 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending Sept.18, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,404,827, a decrease of 68,160 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,001,023.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 11.

1,790 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Sept. 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,466 in the week ending Sept. 18, an increase of 130 from the prior week. There were 2,298 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 347 from the preceding week.

There were 15,948 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 11, a decrease of 889 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,320, an increase of 115 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 11 were in Puerto Rico (3.3 percent), Alaska (3.2), New Jersey (2.9), Pennsylvania (2.8), Oregon (2.6), California (2.5), Massachusetts (2.5), Michigan (2.4), Arkansas (2.3), New York (2.3), Rhode Island (2.3), and Washington (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 18 were in Florida (+8,797), California (+4,583), North Carolina (+4,194), Georgia (+2,139), and New Jersey (+1,591), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-1,775), Puerto Rico (-1,321), Indiana (-814), Alabama (-689), and Oklahoma (-522).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 25 Sept. 18 Change Sept. 11 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 369,000 351,000 +18,000 336,000 400,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 280,863 275,670 +5,193 250,568 304,968
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 343,500 341,250 +2,250 339,000 400,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 18 Sept. 11 Change Sept. 4 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,873,000 2,876,000 -3,000 2,865,000 3,590,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,404,827 2,472,987 -68,160 2,455,140 3,001,023
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,875,250 2,876,500 -1,250 2,879,250 3,590,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 1.9% 2.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 18
Sept. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,466 1,336 +130 2,515
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,298 1,951 +347 1,758
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 11
Sept. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,948 16,837 -889 17,817
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,320 26,205 +115 19,701
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 1 0 +1 37,255
Federal (TEUC) 1,790 2,043 -253 814,898
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 09/18/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -1,775 No comment.
PR -1,321 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
DE +1,196 No comment.
NY +1,550 No comment.
SC +1,566 Layoffs in the textile industry.
NJ +1,591 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
GA +2,139 Layoffs in the trade industry.
NC +4,194 Layoffs in the construction, lumber/wood, rubber/plastics, and transportation industries.
CA +4,583 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
FL +8,797 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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