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News Release
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 353,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,000, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 356,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 10, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.7 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 10 was 3,352,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,361,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,385,750, a decrease of 13,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,398,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 315,636 in the week ending March 17, a decrease of 24,441 from the previous week. There were 354,457 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending March 10, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.1 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,804,840, a decrease of 57,489 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,277,092.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 3 was 7,281,541, a decrease of 142,499 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 3.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,216 in the week ending March 10, a decrease of 86 from the prior week. There were 2,508 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 205 from the preceding week.
There were 25,114 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 3, a decrease of 2,343 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,671, a decrease of 2,378 from the prior week.
States reported 2,851,483 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 3, a decrease of 24,312 from the prior week. There were 3,627,654 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 3 were in Alaska (6.1), Rhode Island (4.5), Oregon (4.4), Wisconsin (4.4), Idaho (4.3), Montana (4.3), New Jersey (4.3), Pennsylvania (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.2), California (4.1), and Connecticut (4.1).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 10 were in Kentucky (+742), Puerto Rico (+643), Alabama (+475), North Carolina (+471), and Tennessee (+457), while the largest decreases were in New York (-14,222), California (-4,696), Illinois (-1,290), Florida (-1,215), and Pennsylvania (-1,129).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance March 17 | March 10 | Change | March 3 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 348,000 | 353,000 | -5,000 | 365,000 | 394,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 315,636 | 340,077 | -24,441 | 368,433 | 354,457 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 355,000 | 356,250 | -1,250 | 355,750 | 391,000 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance March 10 | March 3 | Change | Feb. 25 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,352,000 | 3,361,000 | -9,000 | 3,424,000 | 3,765,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,804,840 | 3,862,329 | -57,489 | 3,988,890 | 4,277,092 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,385,750 | 3,398,750 | -13,000 | 3,419,500 | 3,798,000 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.6% | 2.7% | -0.1 | 2.7% | 3.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 3.0% | 3.1% | -0.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | March 10 | March 3 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 1,216 | 1,302 | -86 | 1,630 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,508 | 2,713 | -205 | 2,316 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | March 3 | Feb. 25 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 3,850,002 | 3,977,892 | -127,890 | 4,284,468 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 25,114 | 27,457 | -2,343 | 39,439 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 39,671 | 42,049 | -2,378 | 39,128 |
EUC 20083 | 2,851,483 | 2,875,795 | -24,312 | 3,627,654 |
Extended Benefits4 | 461,625 | 453,300 | +8,325 | 716,951 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 4,895 | 4,770 | +125 | 8,160 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 48,751 | 42,777 | +5,974 | 50,271 |
TOTAL | 7,281,541 | 7,424,040 | -142,499 | 8,766,071 |
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 126,579,970 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 paid, 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 03/10/2012
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
NY | -14,222 |
| Fewer layoffs in the transportation, educational services, and food service industries. |
CA | -4,696 |
| Fewer layoffs in the service industry. |
IL | -1,290 |
| No comment. |
FL | -1,215 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries. |
PA | -1,129 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, professional, scientific and technology service, transportation, and healthcare and social service 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
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