News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL12-1632-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact: (202) 693-4676 August 9, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending August 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 361,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,250, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending July 28, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 28 was 3,332,000, an increase of 53,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,279,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,304,750, an increase of 4,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,300,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 317,580 in the week ending August 4, an increase of 4,934 from the previous week. There were 354,408 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending July 28, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,239,100, a decrease of 7,551 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,580,433.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending July 21 was 5,750,084, a decrease of 214,367 from the previous week.

 

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Extended benefits were only available in Idaho during the week ending July 21,

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,455 in the week ending July 28, an increase of 125 from the prior week. There were 2,418 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 104 from the preceding week.

There were 17,456 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending July 21, a decrease of 494 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,172, a decrease of 32 from the prior week.

States reported 2,412,938 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending July 21, a decrease of 119,890 from the prior week. There were 3,158,312 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending July 21 were in Puerto Rico (4.3), theVirgin Islands (4.1), New Jersey (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Alaska (3.6), Connecticut (3.6), California (3.5), Rhode Island (3.4), New York (3.2), and Nevada (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 28 were in New York (+3,250), Washington (+485), Nebraska (+136), Mississippi (+111), and Connecticut (+46), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-4,884), California (-4,738), Georgia (-2,206), Florida (-1,840), and Ohio (-1,810).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance August 4 July 28 Change July 21 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 361,000 367,000 -6,000 357,000 399,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 317,580 312,646 +4,934 340,780 354,408
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 368,250 366,000 +2,250 368,250 405,250
WEEK ENDING Advance July 28 July 21 Change July 14 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,332,000 3,279,000 +53,000 3,291,000 3,695,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,239,100 3,246,651 -7,551 3,336,728 3,580,433
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,304,750 3,300,250 +4,500 3,310,000 3,718,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.6% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
July 28
July 21
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,455 1,330 +125 3,145
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,418 2,522 -104 2,651
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
July 21
July 14
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,238,553 3,329,538 -90,985 3,670,074
Federal Employees (UCFE) 17,456 17,950 -494 24,726
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,172 39,204 -32 38,268
EUC 20083 2,412,938 2,532,828 -119,890 3,158,312
Extended Benefits4 6,346 13,207 -6,861 541,779
State Additional Benefits 5 5,430 5,171 +259 4,862
STC / Workshare 6 30,189 26,553 +3,636 40,160
TOTAL 5,750,084 5,964,451 -214,367 7,478,181
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 127,495,952 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate,
        and the extent of benefits paid, can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 07/28/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -4,884 No comment.
CA -4,738 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
GA -2,206 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, trade, health care, and accommodation and food service industries.
FL -1,840 Fewer layoff in the construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade industries.
OH -1,810 No comment.
PA -1,397

No comment.
AL -1,333 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, construction, and administrative support industries.
NJ -1,278 Fewer layoffs in the construction, professional, scientific and technology service, educational service, accmodation, lodging, food service, and transportation service industries.
TN -1,269 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, administrative support service, and special trade contractor service industries.
SC -1,219 Fewer layoff in the manufacturing industry.
NC -1,182 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, and construction industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 

State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +3,250 Layoffs in the construction, retail trade, and health care service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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