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News Release
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 357,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 363,000. The 4-week moving average was 361,750, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 24 was 3,338,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,354,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,367,250, a decrease of 24,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,391,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 311,339 in the week ending March 31, a decrease of 12,054 from the previous week. There were 353,817 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending March 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,624,702, a decrease of 74,771 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,085,667.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 17 was 7,050,709, a decrease of 107,760 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 17.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,163 in the week ending March 24, an increase of 16 from the prior week. There were 2,421 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 14 from the preceding week.
There were 23,794 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 17, a decrease of 1,647 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,670, a decrease of 63 from the prior week.
States reported 2,815,108 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 17, an increase of 2,442 from the prior week. There were 3,563,031 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 17 were in Alaska (6.0), Puerto Rico (4.4), Oregon (4.3), Rhode Island (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.1), Wisconsin (4.1), California (4.0), Connecticut (4.0), Montana (4.0), and New Jersey (4.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 24 were in Texas (+4,185), California (+2,199), Kansas (+1,555), Arkansas (+1,141), and Washington (+714), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-1,956), North Carolina (-1,656), New Jersey (-1,511), Massachusetts (-1,083), and Hawaii (-650).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance March 31 | March 24 | Change | March 17 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 357,000 | 363,000 | -6,000 | 364,000 | 400,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 311,339 | 323,393 | -12,054 | 319,498 | 353,817 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 361,750 | 366,000 | -4,250 | 368,500 | 402,250 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance March 24 | March 17 | Change | March 10 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,338,000 | 3,354,000 | -16,000 | 3,383,000 | 3,766,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,624,702 | 3,699,473 | -74,771 | 3,815,580 | 4,085,667 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,367,250 | 3,391,750 | -24,500 | 3,410,000 | 3,780,750 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 0.0 | 2.7% | 3.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 2.9% | 2.9% | 0.0 | 3.0% | 3.3% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | March 24 | March 17 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 1,163 | 1,147 | +16 | 1,487 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,421 | 2,435 | -14 | 2,306 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | March 17 | March 10 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 3,691,340 | 3,804,640 | -113,300 | 4,118,230 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 23,794 | 25,441 | -1,647 | 36,787 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 41,670 | 41,733 | -63 | 38,663 |
EUC 20083 | 2,815,108 | 2,812,666 | +2,442 | 3,563,031 |
Extended Benefits4 | 440,660 | 426,109 | +14,551 | 708,079 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 4,843 | 4,899 | -56 | 7,778 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 33,294 | 42,981 | -9,687 | 51,887 |
TOTAL | 7,050,709 | 7,158,469 | -107,760 | 8,524,455 |
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 03/24/2012
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
PA | -1,956 |
| Fewer layoffs in the entertainment, lodging, food service, construction, professional, scientific and technology service, and retail industries. |
NC | -1,656 |
| Fewer layoffs in the food service, textile, non classifiable establishment, food and kindred products, construction, and electronic industries. |
NJ | -1,511 |
| Fewer layoffs in the accommodation and food service, manufacturing, retail, construction, administrative, and healthcare and social assistance industries. |
MA | -1,083 |
| No comment. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
TX | +4,185 |
| No comment. |
CA | +2,199 |
| No comment. |
KS | +1,555 |
| No comment. |
AR | +1,141 |
| No comment. |
State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current
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