News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-1561-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 14, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 308,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 313,000. The 4-week moving average was 314,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 315,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Sept. 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 2 was 2,499,000, an increase of 18,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,481,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,485,000, a decrease of 500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,485,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 238,134 in the week ending Sept. 9, a decrease of 21,502 from the previous week. There were 322,387 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.6 percent during the week ending Sept. 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,141,215, a decrease of 99,317 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.7 percent and the volume was 2,216,756.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Aug. 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 973 in the week ending Sept. 2, a decrease of 274 from the prior week. There were 1,888 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 57 from the preceding week.

There were 14,634 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Aug. 26, a decrease of 98 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,636, a decrease of 96 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 26 were in Puerto Rico (3.7 percent), New Jersey (3.0), Michigan (2.8), Pennsylvania (2.8), Alaska (2.6), Connecticut (2.5), Rhode Island (2.5), Massachusetts (2.4), Arkansas (2.2), New York (2.2), and Oregon (2.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 2 were in Louisiana (+3,035), Illinois (+2,224), Michigan (+2,181), Indiana (+1,588), and Pennsylvania (+1,547), while the largest decreases were in New York (-1,981), Kentucky (-1,851), California (-912), Tennessee (-596), and New Jersey
(-571).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 9 Sept. 2 Change Aug. 26 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 308,000 313,000 -5,000 318,000 419,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 238,134 259,636 -21,502 251,275 322,387
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 314,250 315,750 -1,500 318,000 344,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 2 Aug. 26 Change Aug. 19 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,499,000 2,481,000 +18,000 2,477,000 2,587,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,141,215 2,240,532 -99,317 2,268,911 2,216,756
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,485,000 2,485,500 -500 2,483,500 2,589,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.6% 1.7% -0.1 1.7% 1.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 2
Aug. 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 973 1,247 -274 1,095
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,888 1,945 -57 2,170
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Aug. 26
Aug. 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,634 14,732 -98 17,002
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,636 25,732 -96 29,120
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 5 32 -27 1
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 09/02/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -1,981 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
KY -1,851 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA +1,547 Layoffs in the construction, service, and mining industries.
IN +1,588 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI +2,181 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
IL +2,224 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
LA +3,035 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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