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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 462,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 468,000. The 4-week moving average was 475,500, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average of 470,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 27 was 4,558,000, an increase of 37,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,521,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,581,000, unchanged from the preceding week's revised average of 4,581,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.170 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,287 in the week ending March 6, a decrease of 10,969 from the previous week. There were 652,636 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.2 percent during the week ending Feb. 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 5,528,856, a decrease of 68,281 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.8 percent and the volume was 6,361,354.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Feb. 20.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,290 in the week ending Feb. 27, an increase of 93 from the prior week. There were 2,335 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 388 from the preceding week.

There were 22,955 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 822 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,585, an increase of 1,113 from the prior week.

States reported 5,527,925 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 159,649 from the prior week. There were 2,068,413 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 20 were in Alaska (7.4 percent), Oregon (6.4), Idaho (6.3), Pennsylvania (6.2), Wisconsin (6.2), Montana (6.1), Puerto Rico (6.0), Michigan (5.7), Nevada (5.6), and Rhode Island (5.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 27 were in California (+16,112), New York (+12,263), Florida (+2,516), Texas (+1,440), and Nevada (+947), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-4,772), Massachusetts (-4,504), New Jersey (-3,972), Kentucky (-3,633), and Missouri (-1,661).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 6

Feb. 27

Change

Feb. 20

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

462,000

468,000

-6,000

498,000

657,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

460,287

471,256

-10,969

454,492

652,636

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

475,500

470,500

+5,000

474,250

646,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 27

Feb. 20

Change

Feb. 13

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,558,000

4,521,000

+37,000

4,634,000

5,253,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,528,856

5,597,137

-68,281

5,546,408

6,361,354

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,581,000

4,581,000

0

4,605,000

5,085,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.6%

3.9%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.2%

4.3%

-0.1

4.3%

4.8%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 27

Feb. 20

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,290

1,197

+93

1,179

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,335

1,947

+388

1,949

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 20

Feb. 13

Change

Year

Federal Employees

22,955

23,777

-822

19,151

Newly Discharged Veterans

36,585

35,472

+1,113

28,653

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

9,000

Extended Benefits

163,291

178,472

-15,181

3,938

EUC 20083

5,527,925

5,687,574

-159,649

2,068,413

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 130,128,328 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/27/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PA

-4,772

Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and industrial machinery industries.

MA

-4,504

No comment.

NJ

-3,972

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.

KY

-3,633

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

MO

-1,661

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.

MD

-1,363

No comment.

AL

-1,095

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

IA

-1,070

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

TX

+1,440

Layoffs in the trade and service industries.

FL

+2,516

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

NY

+12,263

Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

CA

+16,112

Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
March 11, 2010