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News Release
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 359,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 364,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 368,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 17, 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 17 was 3,340,000, a decrease of 41,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,381,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,387,750, a decrease of 21,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,409,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 319,349 in the week ending March 24, a decrease of 33 from the previous week. There were 357,457 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending March 17, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,683,943, a decrease of 129,932 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,131,066.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 10 was 7,153,252, a decrease of 131,488 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 10.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,147 in the week ending March 17, a decrease of 69 from the prior week. There were 2,435 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 73 from the preceding week.
There were 25,433 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 10, a decrease of 295 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,720, an increase of 364 from the prior week.
States reported 2,809,365 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 10, a decrease of 43,018 from the prior week. There were 3,588,816 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 10 were in Alaska (6.0), Pennsylvania (4.6), Rhode Island (4.4), Montana (4.3), Oregon (4.3), Wisconsin (4.3), New Jersey (4.2), Puerto Rico (4.2), Idaho (4.1), Connecticut (4.0), Illinois (4.0), and Michigan (4.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 17 were in Florida (+1,876), Hawaii (+469), Mississippi (+405), New Mexico (+292), and Iowa (+278), while the largest decreases were in New York (-3,103), Texas (-1,787), Pennsylvania (-1,606), California (-1,603), and Ohio (-1,419).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance March 24 | March 17 | Change | March 10 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 359,000 | 364,000 | -5,000 | 363,000 | 401,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 319,349 | 319,382 | -33 | 340,102 | 357,457 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 365,000 | 368,500 | -3,500 | 368,000 | 406,000 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance March 17 | March 10 | Change | March 3 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,340,000 | 3,381,000 | -41,000 | 3,394,000 | 3,769,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,683,943 | 3,813,875 | -129,932 | 3,862,329 | 4,131,066 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,387,750 | 3,409,500 | -21,750 | 3,416,750 | 3,798,750 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.6% | 2.7% | -0.1 | 2.7% | 3.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 2.9% | 3.0% | -0.1 | 3.1% | 3.3% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | March 17 | March 10 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 1,147 | 1,216 | -69 | 1,566 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,435 | 2,508 | -73 | 2,110 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | March 10 | March 3 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 3,802,935 | 3,850,002 | -47,067 | 4,262,025 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 25,433 | 25,728 | -295 | 40,164 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 41,720 | 41,356 | +364 | 38,651 |
EUC 20083 | 2,809,365 | 2,852,383 | -43,018 | 3,588,816 |
Extended Benefits4 | 425,920 | 461,625 | -35,705 | 773,721 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 4,898 | 4,895 | +3 | 8,130 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 42,981 | 48,751 | -5,770 | 58,936 |
TOTAL | 7,153,252 | 7,284,740 | -131,488 | 8,770,443 |
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 03/17/2012
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
NY | -3,103 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, construction, and retail industries. |
TX | -1,787 |
| No comment. |
PA | -1,606 |
| Fewer layoffs in the food, manufacturing, professional, scientific and technology services, construction, and retail industries. |
CA | -1,603 |
| No comment. |
OH | -1,419 |
| No comment. |
GA | -1,395 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, trade, construction, and administrative and support services industries. |
MI | -1,350 |
| No comment. |
SC | -1,104 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industries. |
VA | -1,013 |
| Fewer layoffs in the accommodation and food service industries. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
FL | +1,876 |
| Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries. |
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
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/