News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-1668-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 8, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 319,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 320,000. The 4-week moving average was 318,500, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 316,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending Aug. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 27 was 2,593,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,598,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,587,250, an increase of 7,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,580,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 264,474 in the week ending Sept. 3, an increase of 13,945 from the previous week. There were 274,930 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent during the week ending Aug. 27, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,343,765, a decrease of 35,697 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,580,150.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 20.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,065 in the week ending Aug. 27, a decrease of 331 from the prior week. There were 2,199 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 23 from the preceding week.

There were 17,345 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 20, a decrease of 112 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,407, an increase of 44 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 20 were in Puerto Rico (5.2 percent), New Jersey (3.0), Alaska (2.9), Michigan (2.9), Pennsylvania (2.9), Oregon (2.7), Rhode Island (2.7), Connecticut (2.5), Massachusetts (2.4), Arkansas (2.3), and New York (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 27 were in Kentucky (+3,268), New York (+2,717), Minnesota (+1,111), Kansas (+689), and Ohio (+647), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-1,937), Virginia (-1,595), Tennessee (-1,447), Puerto Rico (-1,431), and Alabama
(-666).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 3 Aug. 27 Change Aug. 20 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 319,000 320,000 -1,000 316,000 326,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 264,474 250,529 +13,945 252,016 274,930
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 318,500 316,500 +2,000 315,250 338,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 27 Aug. 20 Change Aug. 13 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,593,000 2,598,000 -5,000 2,571,000 2,867,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,343,765 2,379,462 -35,697 2,418,884 2,580,150
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,587,250 2,580,250 +7,000 2,576,000 2,877,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.8% 1.9% -0.1 1.9% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 27
Aug. 20
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,065 1,396 -331 1,164
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,199 2,176 +23 2,111
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 20
Aug. 13
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,345 17,457 -112 18,484
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,407 29,363 +44 26,449
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 2 0 +2 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 127,622,590 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/27/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -1,937 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, textile, industrial machinery, and computer equipment industries.
VA -1,595 Fewer layoffs in the finance and manufacturing industries.
TN -1,447 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, industrial machinery, and food industries.
PR -1,431 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MN +1,111 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
NY +2,717 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
KY +3,268 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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