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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 382,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 387,000. The 4-week moving average was 385,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 386,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending March 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 12 was 3,721,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,723,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,755,250, a decrease of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,783,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 351,204 in the week ending March 19, a decrease of 23,487 from the previous week. There were 408,653 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent during the week ending March 12, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,260,519, a decrease of 36,286 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.1 percent and the volume was 5,344,610.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 5 was 8,766,062.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending March 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,627 in the week ending March 12, a decrease of 284 from the prior week. There were 2,318 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 173 from the preceding week.

There were 39,439 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 5, a decrease of 4,255 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,128, a decrease of 983 from the prior week.

States reported 3,627,654 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 5, an increase of 85,712 from the prior week. There were 5,625,723 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 5 were in Alaska (6.7 percent), Puerto Rico (5.1), Idaho (5.0), Montana (5.0), Rhode Island (5.0), Oregon (4.9), Pennsylvania (4.8), Wisconsin (4.8), New Jersey (4.6), and Connecticut (4.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 12 were in North Carolina (+930), Florida (+776), Oregon (+582), Puerto Rico (+509), and South Carolina (+484), while the largest decreases were in New York (-16,917), California (-5,490), Pennsylvania (-1,907), Massachusetts(-1,778), and Washington (-1,429).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance March 19

March 12

Change

March 5

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

382,000

387,000

-5,000

401,000

445,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

351,204

374,691

-23,487

409,654

408,653

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

385,250

386,750

-1,500

393,250

454,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance March 12

March 5

Change

Feb. 26

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,721,000

3,723,000

-2,000

3,786,000

4,668,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,260,519

4,296,805

-36,286

4,460,146

5,344,610

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,755,250

3,783,250

-28,000

3,837,000

4,692,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.0%

3.0%

0.0

3.0%

3.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.4%

3.4%

0.0

3.6%

4.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 12

March 5

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,627

1,911

-284

1,250

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,318

2,491

-173

2,331

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 5

Feb. 26

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,284,,468

4,445,578

-161,110

5,381,774

Federal Employees (UCFE)

39,439

43,694

-4,255

22,523

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

39,128

40,111

-983

36,474

EUC 20083

3,627,654

3,541,942

+85,712

5,625,723

Extended Benefits4

716,951

815,191

-98,240

157,340

State Additional Benefits 5

8,151

8,286

-135

1,933

STC / Workshare 6

50,271

58,630

-8,359

90,653

TOTAL

8,766,062

8,953,432

-187,370

11,316,420

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 125,560,066 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 03/12/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-16,917

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

CA

-5,490

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

PA

-1,907

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

MA

-1,778

Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.

WA

-1,429

No comment.

GA

-1,222

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

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 24, 2011