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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 439,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 445,000. The 4-week moving average was 447,250, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 454,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending March 20, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 20 was 4,662,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,668,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,679,500, a decrease of 12,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,692,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.259 million. The increase in this number is attributable to the implementation of new seasonal factors.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 404,869 in the week ending March 27, a decrease of 3,784 from the previous week. There were 599,299 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.0 percent during the week ending March 20, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,174,470, a decrease of 170,152 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.8 percent and the volume was 6,388,414.

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 13.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,263 in the week ending March 20, an increase of 42 from the prior week. There were 2,181 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 90 from the preceding week.

There were 22,801 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 13, an increase of 564 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,171, a decrease of 195 from the prior week.

States reported 5,894,337 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 13, an increase of 267,012 from the prior week. There were 2,172,852 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 13 were in Alaska (7.2 percent), Puerto Rico (6.4), Oregon (6.1), Pennsylvania (6.0), Wisconsin (5.9), Idaho (5.8), Montana (5.8), Michigan (5.5), Nevada (5.5), and Rhode Island (5.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 20 were in Illinois (+1,396), Oklahoma (+1,152), Missouri (+792), South Carolina (+395), and New Mexico (+303), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,180), Pennsylvania (-3,677), North Carolina (-2,733), New Jersey (-2,521), and Michigan (-1,644).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 27

March 20

Change

March 13

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

439,000

445,000

-6,000

454,000

651,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

404,869

408,653

-3,784

434,424

599,299

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

447,250

454,000

-6,750

464,250

642,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 20

March 13

Change

March 6

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,662,000

4,668,000

-6,000

4,694,000

5,776,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,174,470

5,344,622

-170,152

5,393,589

6,388,414

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,679,500

4,692,000

-12,500

4,723,500

5,587,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.6%

3.6%

0.0

3.6%

4.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.0%

4.1%

-0.1

4.1%

4.8%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 20

March 13

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,263

1,221

+42

1,053

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,181

2,271

-90

1,664

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 13

March 6

Change

Year

Federal Employees

22,801

22,237

+564

19,598

Newly Discharged Veterans

36,171

36,366

-195

28,670

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

9,000

Extended Benefits

136,990

140,003

-3,013

15,504

EUC 20083

5,894,337

5,627,325

+267,012

2,172,852

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 03/20/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,180

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.

PA

-3,677

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

NC

-2,733

Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and furniture industries.

NJ

-2,521

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

MI

-1,644

No comment.

OH

-1,623

No comment.

IN

-1,504

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

FL

-1,433

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

TX

-1,366

Fewer layoffs in the service, finance, and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

OK

+1,152

No comment.

IL

+1,396

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
April 1, 2010