News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1545-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 7, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 310,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 319,000. The 4-week moving average was 315,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 318,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Aug. 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Aug. 26 was 2,492,000, an increase of 15,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,477,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,488,250, an increase of 4,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,483,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 257,595 in the week ending Sept. 2, an increase of 6,073 from the previous week. There were 271,613 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.7 percent during the week ending Aug. 26, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,250,625, a decrease of 18,352 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.8 percent and the volume was 2,323,719.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,247 in the week ending Aug. 26, an increase of 237 from the prior week. There were 1,944 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 40 from the preceding week.

There were 14,727 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 19, a decrease of 552 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,733, a decrease of 165 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 19 were in Puerto Rico (3.4 percent), Michigan (2.9), New Jersey (2.9), Pennsylvania (2.8), Alaska (2.7), Rhode Island (2.6), Connecticut (2.5), Massachusetts (2.4), Arkansas (2.3), and Oregon (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Aug. 26 were in New York (+4,488), Kentucky (+1,847), North Carolina (+1,195), Pennsylvania (+715), and Tennessee (+668), while the largest decreases were in Ohio (-1,845), Virginia (-1,801), Michigan (-1,381), Illinois (-534), and Nebraska (-505).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 2 Aug. 26 Change Aug. 19 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 310,000 319,000 -9,000 318,000 323,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 257,595 251,522 +6,073 252,357 271,613
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 315,250 318,250 -3,000 316,500 319,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Aug. 26 Aug. 19 Change Aug. 12 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,492,000 2,477,000 +15,000 2,483,000 2,582,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,250,625 2,268,977 -18,352 2,326,364 2,323,719
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,488,250 2,483,500 +4,750 2,472,250 2,592,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.7% 1.7% 0.0 1.8% 1.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 26
Aug. 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,247 1,010 +237 1,066
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,944 1,984 -40 2,209
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 19
Aug. 12
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,727 15,279 -552 17,349
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,733 25,898 -165 29,416
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 32 30 +2 2
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 129,945,159 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 08/26/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OH -1,845 No comment.
VA -1,801 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI -1,381 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC +1,195 Layoffs in the textile, furniture, and lumber/wood industries.
KY +1,847 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY +4,488 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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