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News Release

Note: This week's release reflects the annual revision to the weekly unemployment claims seasonal adjustment factors. The historical factors from 2005 forward have been revised. The calendar year 2010 factors can be accessed at the following link: http://www.oui.doleta.gov/press/2010/032510.asp

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 442,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 456,000. The 4-week moving average was 453,750, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised average of 464,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending March 13, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 13 was 4,648,000, a decrease of 54,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,702,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,689,000, a decrease of 36,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,725,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.140 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 405,557 in the week ending March 20, a decrease of 30,447 from the previous week. There were 590,067 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.1 percent during the week ending March 13, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,321,697, a decrease of 81,308 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.8 percent and the volume was 6,440,135.

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 March 6.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,219 in the week ending March 13, a decrease of 129 from the prior week. There were 2,273 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 118 from the preceding week.

There were 22,284 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 6, a decrease of 1,571 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,385, a decrease of 142 from the prior week.

States reported 5,558,430 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 6, a decrease of 329,618 from the prior week. There were 2,094,811 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 March 6 were in Alaska (7.2 percent), Oregon (6.2), Idaho (6.0), Wisconsin (6.0), Montana (5.9), Puerto Rico (5.8), Pennsylvania (5.7), Michigan (5.6), Nevada (5.6), and Rhode Island (5.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 13 were in California (+3,434), Michigan (+2,487), Iowa (+917), New Jersey (+534), and Hawaii (+379), while the largest decreases were in New York (-4,142), Illinois (-3,850), North Carolina (-3,383), Pennsylvania (-2,997), and Ohio(-2,899).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 20

March 13

Change

March 6

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

442,000

456,000

-14,000

451,000

642,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

405,557

436,004

-30,447

459,523

590,067

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

453,750

464,750

-11,000

470,500

639,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 13

March 6

Change

Feb. 27

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,648,000

4,702,000

-54,000

4,694,000

5,634,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,321,697

5,403,005

-81,308

5,538,924

6,440,135

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,689,000

4,725,500

-36,500

4,761,500

5,462,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.6%

3.6%

0.0

3.6%

4.2%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.1%

4.2%

-0.1

4.3%

4.8%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 13

March 6

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,219

1,348

-129

1,098

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,273

2,391

-118

1,839

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 6

Feb. 27

Change

Year

Federal Employees

22,284

23,855

-1,571

18,675

Newly Discharged Veterans

36,385

36,527

-142

29,036

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

9,000

Extended Benefits

139,931

156,155

-16,224

14,888

EUC 20083

5,558,430

5,888,048

-329,618

2,094,811

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 03/13/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-4,142

Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation, and manufacturing industries.

IL

-3,850

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

NC

-3,383

Fewer layoffs in the lumber/wood, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, industrial machinery, transportation equipment, apparel, construction, and service industries.

PA

-2,997

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and food industries.

OH

-2,899

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

VA

-1,672

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TX

-1,592

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

AL

-1,246

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

OR

-1,123

No comment.

MA

-1,070

No comment.

IN

-1,060

Fewer layoffs in the automobile, trade, and service industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

+2,487

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

CA

+3,434

No comment.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

Updated Weekly Seasonal Adjustment Factors -- ASCII text format

Updated Weekly Seasonal Adjustment Factors -- Microsoft Excel format

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 25, 2010