News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-1478-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 : October 4, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Sept. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 317,000, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 301,000. The 4-week moving average was 312,750, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average of 312,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Sept. 22, 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. 22 was 2,541,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the preceding week's unrevised level of 2,551,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,557,250, a decrease of 12,750 from the preceding week's unrevised average of 2,570,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 253,554 in the week ending Sept. 29, an increase of 4,930 from the previous week. There were 249,288 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.6 percent during the week ending Sept. 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,144,440, a decrease of 21,214 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.6 percent and the volume was 2,056,523.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Sept. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,439 in the week ending Sept. 22, an increase of 405 from the prior week. There were 1,771 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 233 from the preceding week.

There were 14,078 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Sept. 15, an increase of 458 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,280, an increase of 203 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Sept. 15 were in Puerto Rico (3.4 percent), New Jersey (2.5), Michigan (2.4), Pennsylvania (2.3), Alaska (2.2), Arkansas (2.2), California (2.2), Rhode Island (2.2), Massachusetts (2.0), and Oregon (2.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 22 were in Florida (+768), Wisconsin (+582), Kansas (+510), Mississippi (+325), and Kentucky (+279), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-2,712), South Carolina (-2,304), North Carolina (-1,990), Michigan(-1,577), and Indiana
(-1,411).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 29 Sept. 22 Change Sept. 15 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 317,000 301,000 +16,000 313,000 310,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 253,554 248,624 +4,930 261,971 249,288
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 312,750 312,250 +500 321,250 315,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Sept. 22 Sept. 15 Change Sept. 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,541,000 2,551,000 -10,000 2,540,000 2,440,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,144,440 2,165,654 -21,214 2,242,616 2,056,523
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,557,250 2,570,000 -12,750 2,575,500 2,451,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.6% 1.6% 0.0 1.7% 1.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 22
Sept. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,439 1,034 +405 1,326
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,771 2,004 -233 1,885
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Sept. 15
Sept. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,078 13,620 +458 14,377
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,280 22,077 +203 24,805
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 5 -5 18
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 132,170,980 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 09/22/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA -2,712 Fewer layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.
SC -2,304 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NC -1,990 Fewer layoffs in the textile, transportation equipment, and trade industries.
MI -1,577 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
IN -1,411 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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