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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 462,000. The 4-week moving average was 471,250, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 475,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending March 6, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 6 was 4,579,000, an increase of 12,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,567,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,575,250, a decrease of 8,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,583,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.166 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 432,166 in the week ending March 13, a decrease of 28,083 from the previous week. There were 601,163 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent during the week ending March 6, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,375,836, a decrease of 163,482 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.7 percent and the volume was 6,357,202.

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, Missouri, 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. 27.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,357 in the week ending March 6, an increase of 67 from the prior week. There were 2,383 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 48 from the preceding week.

There were 23,693 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 27, an increase of 738 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,501, a decrease of 84 from the prior week.

States reported 5,888,048 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 27, an increase of 360,123 from the prior week. There were 2,086,682 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. 27 were in Alaska (7.2 percent), Oregon (6.3), Pennsylvania (6.3), Idaho (6.2), Montana (6.1), Wisconsin (6.1), Puerto Rico (6.0), Michigan (5.6), Nevada (5.6), North Carolina (5.4), and Rhode Island (5.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 6 were in North Carolina (+5,100), Illinois (+2,461), Oregon (+1,542), Ohio (+1,301), and Alabama (+1,274), while the largest decreases were in New York (-10,929), California (-7,235), Connecticut (-2,082), Kentucky (-1,950), and West Virginia (-827).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 13

March 6

Change

Feb. 27

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

457,000

462,000

-5,000

468,000

644,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

432,166

460,249

-28,083

471,256

601,163

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

471,250

475,500

-4,250

470,500

650,000

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 6

Feb. 27

Change

Feb. 20

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,579,000

4,567,000

+12,000

4,521,000

5,438,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,375,836

5,539,318

-163,482

5,597,137

6,357,202

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,575,250

4,583,250

-8,000

4,581,000

5,207,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.5%

4.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.1%

4.3%

-0.2

4.3%

4.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 6

Feb. 27

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,357

1,290

+67

1,197

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,383

2,335

+48

2,076

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 27

Feb. 20

Change

Year

Federal Employees

23,693

22,955

+738

19,888

Newly Discharged Veterans

36,501

36,585

-84

28,791

Railroad Retirement Board

11,000

11,000

0

9,000

Extended Benefits

155,952

163,291

-7,339

5,011

EUC 20083

5,888,048

5,527,925

+360,123

2,086,682

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 03/06/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-10,929

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

CA

-7,235

Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.

CT

-2,082

Fewer school closings related claims.

KY

-1,950

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

AL

+1,274

Layoffs in the construction, service, and industrial machinery industries.

OH

+1,301

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

OR

+1,542

No comment.

IL

+2,461

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

NC

+5,100

Layoffs in the construction, service, industrial machinery, apparel, and transportation equipment industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577. News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
March 18, 2010